


Adversity and Ataraxia

by Spastic_Freak



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Drabble, F/M, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 05:06:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 205
Words: 71,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10824378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spastic_Freak/pseuds/Spastic_Freak
Summary: Everyone else's lives had settled down into some sense of normality. But he was still caught up in anguish over losing his twin. He was searching for any form of serenity. He hadn't expected it to come in the form of a young foreign woman claiming to be able to talk to his deceased brother. Told as a drabble series!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a drabble series! Each installment will have the character POV posted at the beginning in bold! 
> 
> I do not own the characters or plot line of Harry Potter and Inuyasha!
> 
> Enjoy!

**George**

There was a bright flash and his surroundings were literally crumbling around him. His good ear was ringing in the aftermath of the explosion, as he coughed up the debris that rapidly infiltrated his lungs. Even his eyes stung with the dust that continued to linger in the air.

Perhaps he hadn't been taking this war as seriously as he should have. He and his brother always believed that a joke could be made in almost every situation. Hell, even when he lost his ear at the end of the summer he had managed to laugh it off with a wisecrack. It was part of the reason they opened Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

As the wreckage finally settled, and his eyes met with the distressed blue eyes of his brother Percy, he suddenly couldn't hear anything. Percy was desperately trying to move large chunks of what used to make up a hall of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A pale left hand was awkwardly hanging out of the rubble.

_No…_

Time had slowed down considerably as he tried to rush forward. But he wasn't fast enough. No matter how hard he pushed himself he didn't seem to move from the spot he was in. Percy had continued to desperately shove aside the heavy stones off of the motionless body. Finally the last obstruction was removed and the victim's face revealed.

He was looking at himself and nothing else. His mirror image lie broken and mangled on the ground. The same fiery mop of hair was a mess, the same brown eyes stared back into his, yet they were lifeless and unmoving. But this individual in front of him was surely unconscious, or merely playing yet another prank. He waited for the 'gotcha!' moment to occur.

But it never came.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**George**

George Weasley woke with a start.

His heart was still racing from the too familiar nightmare that had just disrupted his sleep. Six months have passed since the Battle of Hogwarts, but there wasn't a night that went by where he didn't relive the death of his twin brother. Almost every night it was the exact same thing, but it never got less painful. Every time his eyes closed he could see the scene over and over again. The same explosion… the same broken body… and the same feeling of helplessness.

There was no amount of magic that could bring back the dead. No matter how much he wished for his brother to be alive, there was no possible way to make it happen. Even begging for a time turner didn't work. The Ministry of Magic has banned their use in fear of someone managing to save Voldemort and succeeding in bringing the Dark Lord back to power.

The whole Weasley family had been rocked by the death of Fred. But the rest of the clan had seemingly managed to move on from the twin's passing. Both Ron and Ginny were engaged, preparing to get married in a couple of months. Molly was fussing over the finer details of it all, wanting to make sure each wedding was absolutely perfect, undoubtedly embracing the distraction. Arthur was so busy with the changes at the Ministry, he was practically there night and day helping to get everything straightened out. Bill was fawning over his wife Fleur, who was trying to start a family of their own. Of course Charlie had immediately traveled back to Romania to continue tending to his dragons and other magical creatures.

Then there was George, who couldn't even manage to get a decent night's rest after six months.


	3. Chapter 3

**George**

George ran his fingers through his hair and let out a sigh. Glancing at the clock, he groaned as he realized that it was actually pretty late in the afternoon. It didn't seem to matter when it was day or night anymore. Since he hardly got any sleep anyway, he would lie down and try when he was too exhausted to move. Too bad it felt like he never slept despite the hours passing.

Dragging himself out of bed, he decided that perhaps he should be at least a little bit social today. Holing himself up had been a part of his depression. The motivation to do anything just wasn't there. George hadn't even stepped foot inside his own joke shop since Fred's death. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes had been their entire life making people laugh was their past time.

Too bad George hadn't laughed since the death of his brother. Hell, he couldn't even remember the last time he genuinely smiled. Of course he sent his parents a reassuring smile at their weekly dinners. Mum was constantly checking in on him to make sure he was doing alright by sending food, chocolates, and clothing. She continuously worried about his melancholic behavior, concerned about what it could lead to.

George constantly reassured his mother that he was not suicidal. He just needed a bit of time to readjust to life without his other half. After all, they had literally spent every day together in the past. Rarely had the two of them been apart in their lifetime. Then, his best friend was permanently taken away from him. The only person in the world that was just as quirky and had the same interests as him was gone.

At this point in time, he didn't have a real reason to be happy.


	4. Chapter 4

**George**

The weather was surely mocking him.

The grey clouds and cold weather definitely reflected how he currently felt. Snow rapidly fell from the sky and was piling up on the ground. As George stepped out of his flat into the busy muggle London streets, he pulled his trench coat tighter around his body and blew up toward the sky, watching his warm breath appear in the chilled air. He was already beginning to regret his decision to leave the warmth of his home.

It was a bit more busy than he had expected it to be, considering the current poor forecast. His feet crunched against the recently accumulated snow, leaving large footprints trailing his path behind. As the flakes began to fall faster, the people started to disappear and escape the cold. Not that he blamed them. But he had struck a bargain with himself: go out for a bit today and he could lay low until the next Weasley family dinner.

He let out a sigh of relief when the Leaky Cauldron finally came into sight. Quickly making his way inside, he loosened his jacket just a little bit before taking a seat at the bar. Thankfully it wasn't very busy, just as he had hoped. A few people sat silently, huddled at their tables with the hot beverages. Only one other person sat at the bar along with him a shorter girl with dark hair and soft Asian features.

Hannah Abbott quickly appeared from the kitchen carrying a game pie and a cup of tea. The girl at the bar hurriedly dug into the food earning a laugh from the former Hufflepuff. "If you need anything else, let me know," Hannah said before turning her attention towards him.

George took a deep breath. Bring on the awkward conversation.


	5. Chapter 5

**George**

It was obvious that Hannah was feeling sorry for him. Her facial expression screamed that of pity and sympathy while she sent him a weak smile. "Hullo George," she softly spoke, as though if she spoke too loud it might set him off in some way. He inwardly scowled.

"Hullo Hannah," he responded a bit more solemnly than he would have liked, sending her a fake smile in return. "I see you've taken over the Leaky Cauldron. Are you enjoying yourself here?"

"I am," she responded happily. "I love seeing all the faces of my friends as well as meeting any of the first years that are getting ready to go to school." She paused a moment, as if having an inward battle with herself. George dreaded what was about to come out of her mouth. Regardless of what he wanted, she asked, "Have you gone back to your shop yet?"

"No, but maybe soon..." he trailed off softly genuinely hoping that she would leave the subject alone. It was bad enough that he hadn't been to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley. Talking about it would have made him feel even worse. He just didn't have the courage to step foot into his own shop. After all, it was supposed to be both his and Fred's ultimate legacy. They were even in the process of buying out Zonko's Joke Shop in Hogsmeade to expand their market. The twin's ultimate goal was to get all of their products banned from Hogwarts, but they would undoubtedly be used all the time.

He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to get all of the 'what ifs' out of his head. There was no need to always make everything about Fred and what would've been. He needed to change the subject.


	6. Chapter 6

**George**

Since it seemed to be no secret to the rest of the wizarding world that he was having a hard time dealing with the death of Fred, (no doubt because of Ron's big gossipy mouth,) George had no problem with getting into other people's personal lives. "I hear you and Neville are snogging one another now," George commented, smirking towards Hannah and causing her to blush.

"He's sweet! And he has such admirable goals," she said dreamily while fumbling awkwardly with the edge of her apron. "He's an auror now, but wants to be an Herbology professor one day, preferably at Hogwarts."

"Of course," George responded. "Hogwarts is the best school after all."

Hell, there were even times that Fred and George talked about finishing their final term at the legendary school. They had always slightly regretted leaving in the middle of Umbridge's reign of terror across the school. But truthfully they would do the same thing over again if given the chance. The twins had been itching to acquire their own shop with the start-up money they had been given from Harry after he won the Triwizard Tournament. Secretly selling to the students in deserted hallways just wasn't enough, no matter how fun it was to frustrate prefects like Hermione.

The previously quiet girl sitting just a few barstools away let out a loud snigger, as if trying to stifle her laughter. George looked at Hannah who shrugged, just as confused at the woman's sudden but short display of hysterics. Hannah quickly rushed to her customer, obviously concerned that perhaps she hadn't been attentive enough to her patron's needs. "Could I get you anything else?" She asked frantically while clearing the now empty dishes.

A pair of stunning blue eyes looked up embarrassed with a light blush adorning her face.


	7. Chapter 7

**George**

"Oh, no thank you," the young woman returned with a smile. Her face was flushed from her unintended disruption. "I didn't mean to interrupt you guys at all. I will just take a check whenever you get a chance."

George turned his attention away from the girl as Hannah hurriedly gathered a check for her. However, he couldn't help but glance at her from the corner of his eye. He didn't recognize her at all. Of course he knew that not all witches and wizards went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But most of the ones hanging around London had. Although he wouldn't admit it out loud, this unknown girl was quite the looker.

"Oh no…" the girl mumbled to herself, her hands suddenly patting all over coat. Her eyes frantically scanned the floor before she finally let out a loud groan and slammed her head down on the counter bar.

He raised an eyebrow at her strange antics. There was actually a small part of him that found her animated actions to be funny. "Are you alright, miss?"

"I got robbed!" She exclaimed standing up from her bar stool, fists clenched at her side. He could almost feel the frustration radiating off of her, her eyes blinking back tears. She looked like she was mentally beating herself up. "I can't believe this… how could I be so stupid?"

"Hey now," George stood up and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You're not stupid. It's those bloody chav muggles that are stupid. Going around causing mischief and being hooligans. It's not your fault." As Hannah hurriedly brought over the check, he instantly took it from the waitress. "Don't worry, love, your meal is on me," he added in with a wink and throwing her a boyish grin.


	8. Chapter 8

**George**

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a few galleons and put them on bar next to the printed tab. "Thanks for the chat, Hannah. This should cover everything."

"Bye George!" Hannah called out, waving in his direction. He gave her a nod of acknowledgement and quickly headed toward the door. Surprisingly enough, he was itching to do more than just head home. Perhaps the walk back to the flat would satiate the urge to do more. Afterall, the only other thing could do is potentially go visit the shop or apparate to The Burrow for a quick hullo.

Both of those options were undesirable. Mum would just fuss over him and wonder why he was stopping by so early, when the mandatory family meal was only a couple days away. The thought of making an appearance at the shop only made his heart ache. The workers would undoubtedly fawn over him if he stopped by. It would drive him bonkers.

George suddenly stopped, deciding to check his own pockets to make sure he too wasn't pickpocketed on his way out the door. For some odd reason it felt like he was missing something, or that he had left something behind at The Leaky Cauldron. Finding all of his personal items to be exactly where they were supposed to be, including his wand safely tucked in his inner coat pocket, he proceeded on his way to the safety of his home.

If he'd left anything behind, Hannah would surely hold onto it until their next encounter. Or perhaps she would forward it to the joke shop. Maybe it would be better if he had left something behind so it would force him back out again. Sighing, he pulled his jacket tighter to his body.

He was starting to hate winter.


	9. Chapter 9

**Fred**

Boring.

Life… or afterlife in his case had become all too tedious. Granted, it didn't help that no one could hear or see him. There weren't even any other ghosts or phantoms arounds to talk to. Fred Weasley lazily put his hands behind his head as he walked around The Leaky Cauldron. Being dead completely sucked.

Of course it had been heartbreaking to wake up after that explosion to see so many people mourning over his dead body. He had never felt more loved than at his own funeral. He desperately tried to show everyone that he was still around and that he wasn't actually gone. But he couldn't get through to anyone. Couldn't even send chills down their spines or do any cool haunting tricks like he had hoped he would be able to do. It certainly brought a whole new meaning to the phrase 'an out of body experience.'

But at this point in time, there was no way to get back to his body. Especially since it was ten feet underground in the Weasley graveyard. Thank Merlin they decided not to cremate him. There was no way he would have been able to watch his own body go up into flames and turn into ash. In some odd way, he slightly hoped that there would be a way for him to come back and that the only way to guarantee it was by preserving his body.

Fred resorted to sticking around George's side for now, hoping to go back to some sense of normality (as normal as you can get being dead, of course). But instead of coming up with new inventions and joke ideas, the git had holed himself up in what used to be their shared flat, hardly going outside at all.

Unsociable twat.


	10. Chapter 10

**Fred**

Was it too much to ask for to experience something more than The Burrow or the flat? At least venturing to The Leaky Cauldron was a bit of a welcomed change. But, god, did he miss eating food. He couldn't even smell any of the delicious foods that he used to indulge in. It was absolutely torture seeing other individuals eat to their heart's content, leisurely munching on all of his favorite snack foods.

It's part of the reason he left George behind at the bar with Neville's lady friend. He wasn't in the mood to watch his twin eat or make idle conversation. Hell, if it weren't for his brother's depressed state, he would have gone off exploring as a ghost ages ago. But he worried that the prat would do something to himself.

Instead Fred decided to wander about the Cauldron to see who else was inhabiting the building at this time. But imagine the red-head's surprise when he finally came back to the bar to discover that George had already left. He hadn't even ordered anything to drink!

He frantically glanced around the entire facility before letting out a frustrated groan. "Bloody hell…" he murmured to himself, running a hand through his own shaggy red hair. Where could he have gone?

"If you're looking for George," a feminine, slightly accented voice called from the bar. "He just left."

Fred turned to look at the woman who just spoke to him. His eyes met with a pair of beautiful sapphire eyes staring back into his own. It was a small, Asian woman that had answered his unasked question. If he wasn't already dead, he would have died of shock. The two simply stared at one another before he finally blurted out in disbelief:

"Are you talking to me?"


	11. Chapter 11

**Fred**

"Er...Yes?" The girl answered honestly yet very confused. She clearly had no idea that she was talking to a ghost.

He was next to her in the blink of an eye, causing her to naturally take a step backwards in surprise. "Can you really see me?" His eyes shone with excitement and he grabbed her hand. He didn't go through her! There was actual physical contact! The smile on his face only grew wider. "And you can touch me!"

She mumbled something under her breath in a language he didn't know, as if upset and suddenly understanding that there was indeed something strange about him. "Yes…" she responded in English while slowly pulling her hand away from his own. "Look, I'm so sorry for whatever happened to you in life. However, I really need to go." She didn't spare him a second glance before she tried to bolt for the front entrance of The Leaky Cauldron.

"What? No! You can't leave!" He easily caught up with her, even blocking the entrance to the door. "You are the only person on the bloody planet that can see me. There's no way I'm letting you get away from me."

"Move." The girl seethed out sternly, but he stood his ground. The two glared at one another before she finally turned on her heels. Scanning the rest of the building, she ignored the curious eyes that were watching her strange behavior. Even Hannah was continuously glancing at her from the corner of her eye from behind the bar. "Well then, if you won't let me out the front door…" she started verbally without bothering to look back at him. "I will just go out the back!"

Without another word she took off, sprinting in the direction of the entrance to Diagon Alley.


	12. Chapter 12

**Fred**

She was a fast little vixen, that was for sure. But he did have a bit of an advantage being otherworldly at the moment. He finally encountered someone that could not only see him but touch him as well. Clearly she wasn't a ghost since others could stare at her eccentric behavior of talking to the invisible air consisting of him. He couldn't let her escape.

When he caught up with her, she was staring at the brick entrance of Diagon Alley in a trance. He took the opportunity to grab her wrist, immediately earning her attention once more. "Let go of me," she shouted at him while dragging him closer to the wall, he had yet to see her pull out a wand to obtain her entrance. Although, she could have just apparated there. He wasn't sure if he could do side-along apparition yet. George mainly stayed at the flat or traveled by floo powder. If he was really adventurous, he traveled by broom.

"Just talk to me," he grunted out while trying to hold her back. It was starting to become more and more difficult for him to maintain his grasp on her with her constant pulling and twisting. He felt his grip slipping with every motion she made.

"I'm not getting involved," she responded before finally breaking free and running toward the brick wall barrier of Diagon Alley. But strangely enough, she simply passed right through the wall without a problem. She hadn't even used her wand. There was no way she could be a ghost too… was there? He shook his head, ridding himself of the ridiculous thought. He then phased through the barrier into the busy shopping center. She was already out of sight.

This mystery woman was starting to get more and more interesting.


	13. Chapter 13

**George**

George stared up at the ceiling of his flat as he lie in his bed. Bored. So very, very bored. Rolling over to his side he looked at the clock. It was only seven in the evening but already dark outside. He wasn't sure why, but ever since his quick appearance at The Leaky Cauldron, he hadn't been able to sit still. It felt like he had been injected with a shot of adrenaline. Thinking back on it, he remembered starting to feel that way after his interactions with the poor witch that got robbed.

He closed his eyes and thought about Hannah Abbott's question: _Have you gone back to your shop yet?_ Perhaps it was time to venture back. After all, it was the busy holiday season. They certainly could use any help that could be spared. Just because there was no more Gred or Forge, doesn't mean there was no more George.

He had made up his mind.

Standing up, he grabbed his coat once more and immediately apparated into Diagon Alley. He appeared just a few shops down from his own, and quickly made the short walk there. It was no surprise that the store was a mad house. Honestly, it was a complete mess. There were witches and wizards everywhere, rummaging through the shelves, trying things out, and not putting them back where they belong. Pygmy Puffs were wandering around the floor of the store, miraculously avoiding being kicked around and stepped on.

He heard someone shout from across the room, "Hey! No throwing the Pygmy Puffs!" George started looking around the shop, trying to see who had dared to throw one of his little puffskeins around, and was surprised to see the unnamed witch from The Leaky Cauldron looking around.

Fancy running into her here.


	14. Chapter 14

**George**

George watched as she tentatively ran her fingers across the shelves of the shop. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she looked at each of the products displayed before her. He caught her staring at some other customers that were trying out the Headless Hats, and she seemed surprised when the girl's head disappeared completely. His favorite reaction was when she watched a young boy wave a trick wand and it immediately turned into a rubber chicken. Her face shone with excitement, and she tried very hard to suppress a laugh. But the edges of her lips were trembling into that of smile, and he could feel his own trying hard not to do the same.

A loud cracking noise alerted them both of the Wild-fire Whiz Bangs that someone had accidentally set off in the store, causing a long dragon made of fireworks to start snaking its way throughout the building. It looked exactly like the same one that he and Fred had set off in their final year at Hogwarts. He shook his head and started to find it harder and harder to suppress his amusement. He had missed this. All of the excitement, the laughter, the children's wonder… It was the whole reason he and Fred had decided to open up in the first place.

He turned his attention back to the mysterious witch. She had picked up a Pygmy Puff and was examining it curiously. Then, with a small giggle she brought it close to her face and nuzzled her nose into its soft, purple fur. He couldn't contain himself anymore at that point, and his face immediately broke into that of a smile. She was acting just like a little kid exploring the shop for the very first time. She was just so…

"...cute."


	15. Chapter 15

**George**

He hadn't realized that he had uttered anything out loud, but her sudden alertness to his presence said otherwise. She froze in her coddling of the Pygmy Puff, and he could've sworn he heard her… growl? Had she just growled at him? He couldn't recall the last time someone growled at him… Bill occasionally had since his run in with Fenrir Greyback… But he usually kept it to a minimum.

"I told you, I'm not getting involved!" She nearly shouted at him before finally turning around. What was once a face of frustration instantly turned into that of embarrassment.

George raised a brow at her sudden outburst and leaned against the wall beside him arms crossed. "Get involved with what?" He hadn't recalled asking anything of her.

Hugging the Pygmy Puff close to her chest, she quickly bowed from the waist up, custom of her Japanese heritage. "I'm sorry I thought you were someone else. Oh! And thank you again for earlier today!"

She blushed as she looked up slowly and saw that he was trying not to laugh again. "There's no need to be so formal. And it's not a problem at all." He started with a smile. However, she did have his interest quite piqued at this point. After all, it's rare to mistake a Weasley for anyone else but another Weasley. "But just out of curiosity, who did you mistake me for?"

"Just a different persistent red-head, and you're right, these little creatures are really cute," she said turning her attention back to the little ball of fluff. "Even if I've never heard of a Pygmy Puff before."

Different persistent red-head? Never heard of a Pygmy Puff? "You can only get them here," he said scooping up another one off the floor, disregarding her odd remarks. "My sister has one named Arnold. My brother and I bred them here in the back. It's quite a long process so I don't recommend trying it yourself."

"In the back?" She questioned while looking toward the back end of the shop. Her eyes swept over the name written across the back. "Weasley…?" She mumbled to herself, as if trying to remember something.

"This is my shop," he started pridefully, pulling her attention back to him. "My twin brother and I opened it together after we left school. Much against our mother's wishes of course. However, I am the sole owner now." He finished the last part softly, trying not to bring the mood of the conversation down too much.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," she responded softly. He almost couldn't hear her over all the noise and busy customers bustling around the two of them. No one else seemed to pay them any attention. Not even an associate had noticed his arrival. "If you don't mind my asking, what was your brother's name?"

"Fred," he responded slightly surprised. Although he wouldn't consider himself famous or notorious like Harry Potter, but most people had heard of the Weasley twins, or at least purchased one of their items before (whether it was through the shop or illegally in the halls of Hogwarts). "He was killed during the Battle of Hogwarts last spring."

"Oh," she mumbled and immediately she was lost to her own thoughts. George watched interested in the different faces she was making although she was trying to understand what he had just said. Ultimately she looked… lost.

He blinked in realization of her apparent confusion. But there was no way… right? Finally he mustered up the courage to ask, "You have no idea what I'm talking about do you?"


	16. Chapter 16

**George**

Her face was completely flushed. "I mean no disrespect!" She immediately replied flustered and struggling for the right words. "I'm sure it was very important, I just have never heard of it."

"Never heard of it…" he repeated dumbfounded. She was joking… right? Had she been locked away for the past eighteen years of her life? Maybe someone had erased her memory? But she seemed completely capable of herself, despite managing to get robbed. Even if her memory had gotten erased, people were _still_ talking about the Battle of Hogwarts. The Ministry was still trying to round up missing Death Eaters that were still on the run. There was no way she would have been able to escape this news. "You've never heard of Voldemort? Or the Second Wizarding War?" She continued to stare at him blankly, not recognizing any of the key terms he was throwing at her. She had no idea what he was talking about. "Where did you go to school?!"

"Er… a high school in Japan?" She answered casually while putting down the Pygmy Puff on the closest shelf.

"A _high school_ …" he spoke out loud trying to figure this all out. He had heard that term before, but where was it... And he wasn't sure what any of the names of the witchcraft and wizardry schools in Asia were called. George furrowed his brow in concentration. Honestly, the term sounded like one of those things dad probably said at dinner one night while talking about work. Something wasn't right. This girl had never heard of Hogwarts, Voldemort, or stepped foot into his shop before. But the only people that hadn't heard of all of these things were…

His eyes widened in sudden realization of where his thoughts were running.

Bloody Hell.

She was a muggle.


	17. Chapter 17

**George**

This was a nightmare.

There was a muggle.

In his shop.

A muggle!

George quickly glanced around the rest of the store to see if anyone had overheard even a second of their conversation. Finding that no one was paying them any attention, he quickly grabbed her hand and led her towards the stairs going to their employee break room. The room itself wasn't anything grand. There was nothing but a couch with a coffee table in the center of the room, a small stove in the corner to make tea, and an ornate fireplace on one wall.

Pushing her through the door of the break room, he quickly locked the door and leaned against it. He was hoping that no one had seen him or decided to follow after the duo. George and his brother were experts at hiding things from other people, but usually it was a prank of theirs or an item they wanted to keep for themselves. It also usually just meant making sure to keep it from mum, dad, or any of the professors at Hogwarts.

But this?

This was a whole new level of hiding. How had she even managed to get into Diagon Alley? What on earth had she been doing in The Leaky Cauldron? How had she even seen it? Wasn't it supposed to be cloaked or something for muggles? Was he breaking some sort of law by harboring her here? He never really did pay enough attention in class to these things… or anything really. What was the correct way to handle this kind of situation? Hand her over to the Ministry? Just let her go? But what if she came back? She managed to get to Diagon Alley once, she could easily do it again.

"Excuse me, are you alright?"


	18. Chapter 18

**George**

Her question snapped him out of his panicked thoughts. Her bright blue eyes exuded nothing but innocence, and honestly it was aggravating. She was annoyingly calm. But of course she was calm. She didn't know just how serious her little crime of even being here was. "Am I alright?" He repeated her question back in disbelief. "Of course I'm not alright." he seethed out while taking a step toward her. "I've somehow managed to come across a _muggle_ in my shop and she asks me if I'm alright."

"Excuse me?!" She retorted back defensively. "I have no idea what the hell a 'muggle' is, but I have a name and you can use it. It's Kagome. Ka-Go-Me! Got it?"

"Well Ka-Go-Me," he repeated back mockingly. "A muggle is a non-magical person and since you went to a high school, and not a magical one that means _you_ are not a witch. _Muggle_."

"I am not a muggle!" She was shouting now. He was instantly regretting not placing the Muffliato charm on the room. "Just because I didn't attend some fancy prep school in England doesn't mean I don't know magic."

He raised an eyebrow in interest. Now there was a possibility he hadn't thought of. "You're a squib?"

But his hopes of her being a squib were shattered when she crossed her arms and huffed, "I don't know what that is."

"Then you're definitely a muggle." He said matter-of-factly. "But none of that will matter…" He only had one option left. There was no real need to get the Ministry or anyone else for that matter involved after all. He could handle this himself. "When I erase your memory." Pulling out his wand and pointing it at her, he drew a circle in the air while saying, " _Obliviate_!"


	19. Chapter 19

**George**

Kagome quickly ducked out of the way, completely dodging the spell. "You have no right to erase my memory! Put your stupid stick away!"

Ignoring her request, he cast the spell again with her crouched on the floor, intent on ridding himself of his muggle problem. If he was able to erase her memory, he could apparate her out of the store and leave her somewhere else. Sure it sounded terrible, but it had to be done if he didn't want to get the Ministry of Magic involved.

But then the strangest thing happened.

As the spell got closer to her, a shimmering pink bubble formed around her. It looked as if she had suddenly been enveloped in a pink glass dome. When the charm hit her protective shield, it completely disintegrated. Curiously, he cast the Reductor Curse to see if it would shatter the barrier, but it was unsuccessful. He tried a few other incantations, all of which instantly disappeared upon impact with the pink obstruction.

Putting his wand back into his pocket, he cautiously walked over to her and touched the barrier. It shimmered at his touch, but didn't cause any harm. She produced this without even uttering a spell. He hadn't seen her produce a wand either. Had she been right all along? She wasn't a muggle after all? But then, what kind of witch hadn't heard of Hogwarts or Voldemort? Was there such thing as home-schooled wizards that were completely cut off from the rest of the world? Something still wasn't adding up correctly. But she certainly did have his interest.

Suddenly, she screamed, and the whole barrier completely vanished. However, a look of absolute terror remained on her face as she fell backwards on to the floor.

What in the bloody hell was going on?


	20. Chapter 20

**Fred**

_What in the bloody hell is going on?_ Fred thought to himself as he covered his ears. Thankfully he had finally found the young woman that could miraculously see him. Even in his own shop! Luck certainly was on his side this evening it would seem. But for some reason she was letting out a shriek that was almost as bad as a Mandrake's. Apparently his brother was thinking the same thing, for they both suddenly called out, "Why are you screaming?"

She put a hand over her heart, in a feeble attempt to get it to calm down while staring at him wide-eyed as if just realizing it was only him. Quickly propping herself up with her free hand, she sent him a glare. "Your psycho brother is trying to erase my memory while you're busy popping out of the floor. I'm not exactly elated, you know!"

Now this was new. George trying to harm another witch? What on Earth could she have possibly done to make him draw his wand? "Well, why's he trying to erase your memory he asked quizzically, while sitting in front of her on the floor.

"He's calling me names like muggle and squib!" She exclaimed with a pout. "Then he points a stick at me and starts speaking gibberish."

_...Gibberish?_

Fred sniggered. "You're not a witch are you?" He didn't even wait for her to respond and stood up. Apparently they all knew the answer. "What were you doing in the Leaky Cauldron if you aren't a witch?"

She crossed her arms and glared at him again. Clearly she was annoyed with both of the twins. "What are you doing in the land of the living if you're dead?"

Ouch. He extended his hand and offered it to her. "The vixen has claws."


	21. Chapter 21

**Fred**

Her face heated up in a blush at his words. She was embarrassed at being called a vixen. As he glanced down at her he couldn't help but think that she just looked so… cute. Her innocence just made her all the more adorable. Tentatively, her fingers met with the palm of his hand and it sent tingles across his skin. Her touch was warm, and a nostalgic smile spread across his face as he closed his hand around hers. For the second time now in six months he was holding a conversation and was actually able to feel someone. He was able to actually hold someone's hand.

He was so happy he could cry!

Not that he would ever do that… especially in the presence of such a good-looking woman… one that could interact with him. One he would need to do anything for to make sure she stayed by his side.

"This vixen has a name and you better use it," she supplied matter-of-factly while avoiding his steady gaze. With one quick motion, he swiftly brought her to her feet.

"Might I have the honor of learning it then?" He asked calmly, looking forward to actually having a name to refer to her by as opposed to frequent pet ones.

"Kagome."

However, instead of earning a response from her, his answer came from his momentarily forgotten about brother, George. He was staring, mainly at her incredulously. But occasionally he glanced in Fred's direction, expecting to see someone. The perplexed look on his face indicated that he definitely thought Kagome was absolutely mental.

But she looked back at George equally perplexed, curious as to why he had called out her name and interrupted her conversation. And so the very much alive twin finally asked, "Who are you talking to?"


	22. Chapter 22

**George**

George was absolutely flabbergasted. Honestly, he had no better word to describe how he felt at this time. Being around this girl was strangely reminiscent of Loony.. er… Luna Lovegood. Her continuous intrigue and excitement on her face, along with a fierce hidden power that he wouldn't mind learning about. But she was definitely talking to herself… right?

Or at least, that's what it looked like to him. She was speaking, saying some pretty weird things (something about the living dead or whatnot). There would be pauses in between her questions and responses as if talking with someone else though. She even continually looked into the blank space before her.

When she referred to herself as a vixen though, he nearly lost it. At this point he was blatantly being ignored for thin air. Rude. And had she said, ' _your psycho brother_ '? First of all, clearly she was the psychotic one talking to nothing. But, brother? He felt his heart quicken at the development.

Then there were her odd movements as well. When she reached out her hand and looked as though she was holding something, he wasn't quite sure what she was doing. But then she was pulled back up to her feet! With no effort on her own part!

"Kagome." He called out her name. She turned to look at him her sapphire eyes meeting his brown ones. She was confused, and agitated. Was she upset that he had interrupted her? "Who are you talking to?"

"Who am I talking to…?" She repeated back softly, before her attention was once again diverted by the empty space to her left. After a moment, she rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm talking to your annoyingly, stubborn brother Fred."

Then, what little sanity he had left instantly shattered.


	23. Chapter 23

**George**

What in the bloody hell was happening?

This had to be a joke. A sick, cruel joke set up by some arsehole that had nothing better to do than to find a way to torment him. What enemies did he even have left now? Umbridge was thrown in Azkaban where the dingy old bat belonged along with most of the other Death Eaters from after the Second Wizarding War. Granted, there were still a few out on the loose that had successfully evaded Aurors so far, but the most dangerous ones had been captured. The only other person that had never been a huge Weasley twin fan was Argus Filch. But that squib wasn't smart enough to come up with something like this. The boring old sod was good at taking care of Hogwarts and putting an end to fun. But even he wasn't that ruthless.

So who was this disrespectful muggle girl? This Ka-Go-Me…

Without realizing it, he had marched over to her and was frowning down at the stupid innocent expression she wore. "How dare you…" he seethed out, voicing his thoughts. His face was mere inches from hers. Reflexively, he brought his wand to her throat, pointing it upward into her chin. Her countenance only displayed confusion with a hint of panic. It pissed him off. She was acting serious about this. Pretending to be able to see his deceased brother of six months and acting so nonchalant about it. He hadn't felt this angry in a long time. Not since Fred was killed. "Are you making fun of me?"

Her eyes were fixated on the his hand and the wand it wielded jabbing into her skin. "A little help here, Fred?" She finally managed to choke out.

Then, George boiled over, letting rage completely consume him.


	24. Chapter 24

**George**

He gripped the handle of his wand, hard enough that he honestly thought it might break. But it wasn't on the forefront of his mind in the slightest. This woman had taken this game of hers too far. He would find out who was behind this little act and put a stop to it at once. His thoughts were interrupted, when she suddenly glanced to the empty space to their left and mumbled, "He clearly doesn't believe me."

Outraged, his fury overwhelmed him. Magic pulsated through his body in response to the raging emotions he was experiencing. Thrusting out his arm, a blasting curse surged from his wand and destroyed the innocent tea pot on the back table, leaving its rubbled pieces aflame on the floor. "Stop mocking me!" He shouted, his glare fixated on her. She didn't understand. No one understands. "You don't have a clue as to what I've been through! The pain of losing my best friend. Half of me died the day Fred did! I can't even look in the mirror without thinking of him. Do you know how hard it is to live knowing that he can't?"

He waited for her response. Surely it would be yet another anger inducing witty remark directed towards the ghost of his brother. Her eyes held nothing but pity. George was ready to lash out at her again, but she suddenly launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around him. She buried her face into his chest.

"I know it's hard," she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear. "While I may not have been a part of your war, I experienced my own. I lost friends who acted as a family to me. Now I can never see them again. I _never_ joke about the dead."

...What?


	25. Chapter 25

**Fred**

He had never, ever seen his brother that angry before. Honestly, he wasn't sure that either of them had ever been infuriated like this in the past at all. It was part of their problem when it came to joking about everything. They generally would just shrug everything off and if the worst came to the worst, they knew they always had each other. Granted, he had never seen his brother so depressed before six months ago. It's just a year of firsts for the Weasley twins it would seem... including his own death.

But now he was off topic.

Fred completely thought for a moment that George might actually curse or hex this poor girl. To top it all off she was actually telling the truth. But of course George had no way of knowing this. The real question was how to get him to believe her… seeing as Fred did not want to pass up on this opportunity of an afterlife time.

"... I _never_ joke about the dead." Kagome said quietly but stern. While he wasn't sure just how often this mysterious woman has had to deal with the dead before, he was a smidgen jealous that she had wrapped her arms around his twin brother in a hug instead of trying to get away from the crazy git. After all, it seemed he was two seconds away from jinxing her.

He was even more surprised when George, shock etched on his face from her strange reaction, responded by wrapping his arms around her in return. His wand now lie tossed aside to the floor, forgotten. His fingers gripped the long trench coat she had worn to protect her from the cold weather outside. There were no tears, they were simply holding one another in a comforting manner.


	26. Chapter 26

**Fred**

It was the strangest feeling. He felt calm. It was as if a sudden wave of ataraxia hit him out of no where. And by the look on George's face, he felt it too. Fred couldn't help but wonder if it was coming from Kagome. The girl still had her head against his brother's chest, wearing a soft smile. Maybe… just maybe she had a change of heart and will get involved now.

"So…" Fred casually started while stepping closer to the two. "Does this perhaps mean you've changed your mind? Will you help us?"

Kagome glanced up him from the corner of her eye, and did a quick nod of her head. This only resulted in his own smile. Internally, he was bubbling with excitement. Immediately, Fred thrust himself forward and wrapped his own arms around the girl, "I knew you'd come around, you beautiful angel! Thank you! Thank you!"

She let out a soft giggle. "You're squishing me, you two!"

George instantly pulled away from her, his face red in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry!" He ran his hand through his hair and let out a nervous laugh. "I'm honestly a mess right now. I can't believe I pointed my wand at you…"

"I can't either," Fred chimed in, still a little shocked at his brother's outraged behavior from before. But at least it showed he cared.

Kagome shrugged. "It's alright. Not the first time someone has immediately tried to kill or inflict some sort of harm on me. Some of my friends often tell me that trouble is my middle name."

"You certainly do seem like trouble. But, just because I don't have my wand at your throat anymore, doesn't mean I believe what you said about being able to see or talk to Fred." George crossed his arms in front of his body.

Fred let out an exasperated groan. "Bloody hell mate! You're a wizard for crying out loud. Are you mental?!"

This earned a stifled laugh from their mysterious female friend. "I've never met wizards before. I met a witch once, but we didn't have a very good encounter since she technically stole part of my soul and tried to make an animated corpse out of clay and bones."

Both the Weasley twins stared at her slack-jawed and in disbelief. "...What?!" They both suddenly cried out.

Kagome turned away, abashed at the sudden attention. "Eh, it's a story for another time. I promise," she finished specifically looking at Fred. His heart swelled with happiness. She wasn't going anywhere. Assuming they could convince George she wasn't mental. "So," she continued. "How do I prove to you that I have the uncanny talent of stumbling upon the supernatural?"

George slowly bent down and retrieved his wand off of the floor and put it in his coat pocket. "The only thing I could really think of is for me to quiz you. Since I've never met you before, you'll have to get the answers from Fred."

"Sounds fair," she responded walking toward the center of the room. Kagome quickly sat down and made herself comfortable on the couch. Glancing up at him, she pat the seat next to her and beckoned for him to join her. Fred instantly obliged.

George eyed her warily before starting simple: "When's our birthday?"

"April 1st." Fred supplied readily.

"April 1st." Kagome repeated with a smile. "How appropriate that you two were born on April Fool's Day!"

George clicked his tongue in annoyance, not bothering to comment that she was right. "What did our parents call us when they couldn't tell us a part?"

"You'll get a kick out of this Kags. Gred and Forge." Fred said smirking.

"Pffft." Kagome tried hard not to laugh, her small hand covering the rapidly growing smile on her face. "Seriously? Gred and Forge? That's awful."

"Yes, well our mother couldn't tell us apart very well. But you surely could've found out that information from anyone in our family." George's aggravation was really starting to show on his face as he crossed his arms.

Fred slumped down into the couch. Surely there had to be _something_ about him and his brother that wasn't publically advertised to many people. The problem was that throughout school the two allowed their lives to be an open book. The only thing they really kept secret was any of the products they created and sold at Hogwarts. But now that they weren't in school anymore, it didn't matter.

"Final question," George said, snapping Fred's attention back to him. Kagome rested her hand on his leg in a calming manner. This did not go unnoticed by George. "Where did we get the map?"

Kagome looked at Fred curiously. "Well? You heard him. Where'd you get the map?"

A wave of nostalgia washed over him. It had been their first year at Hogwarts. Like all the first years, the twins had immediately fallen in love with the school. Then the two of them had already been notorious for pranks at this time, even if they weren't as extravagant as the could be now. Argus Filch kept a record of the wrongdoings of all the students in all of the houses. Eager to take a look at the entire drawer of files they had secured, the twins snuck into the caretaker's office. And that's where they had found the infamous Marauder's Map that they eventually gave to Harry Potter in their fifth year. Poor kid needed a way to get to Hogsmeade in his third year. Who were they to not help a fellow mischievous student so eager to break the rules? After all, they were going to graduate soon and needed to pass on its legacy.

Finally Fred answered: "We nicked it from Filch's office our first year."

Kagome repeated his answer back to George. Fred and she sat anxiously on the couch waiting for a response. Letting out a sigh, the very much alive Weasley twin finally said:

"I'm sorry, I'm still not convinced."


	27. Chapter 27

**George**

Perhaps he was still in denial, but he just couldn't get his hopes up. He may not have been the best Hogwarts student, but he couldn't recall hearing anything about people being able to communicate with the dead. The only ghosts that a wizard or witch could talk to are the imprinted spirits leaving their mark on the world that all generally made their way to Hogwarts. He and Fred had attended enough deathday parties to learn more than they needed to about lingering souls on Earth. But all of those ghosts had been transparent, misty figures that everyone could see.

So a ghost that only she, a muggle, could see sounded absolutely absurd.

"Fred has an idea," Kagome interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to her attention. "Although he is pretty mad about you not being convinced."

"If my brother really is with you," which George highly doubted, "Could he really blame me for not being convinced? I spent months alone without my best friend. Then suddenly some _normal_ girl comes out of no where claiming to be able to see and talk to him? Anyone could learn about Fred and I from just about anyone in the wizarding world. Especially anyone that went to Hogwarts."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "First of all, I'm anything but _normal_. And second of all, I just got into London a couple of days ago from Japan. My family thought it would be a good idea to take a vacation so they sent me here. I don't know anyone here. I just kind of stumbled across your 'wizarding world'."

George let out a disbelieving snort. He hadn't heard of anyone just stumbling upon Diagon Alley or The Leaky Cauldron. This girl just seemed too innocent in all of this. "What is 'Fred's' idea?"


	28. Chapter 28

**George**

George silently wondered what the supposed ghost of his brother had in mind for a test to see if she was telling the truth. He was waiting patiently while she listened to 'Fred's' supposed plan. Honestly, he wasn't sure if there was even a way for Kagome to prove her so called ability to see 'Fred'. One thing was certain: Kagome was not normal. He definitely wanted to hear her history or see how she has able to have these powers. She appeared to have no knowledge what-so-ever of the wizarding world. Was there a chance that she is in fact a witch but never received a Hogwarts letter (or whatever magical school she would have been zoned for) to develop her magical abilities?

He knew that the Ministry was currently scrambling to locate all the muggle born witches and wizards that were born in the past ten years. During Voldemort's attempt to take over the wizarding world, he destroyed all kept records of what were in his eyes seen as impure mudbloods.

Kagome let out an unlady like snort. "That's a stupid idea, Fred."

"What's a stupid idea?" George asked, pulling himself back into the conversation.

She ignored him and continued to talk to the air. "I mean, we can touch one another. Just pick me up or something." After a pause she threw her hands up exasperatedly. "What do you mean he'll think I'm acting. I can't just Houdini myself up into the air, you know! I'm not a witch or wizard like you guys! I hadn't even met a wizard before today."

"He's right," George interjected again. "I probably won't believe anything you tell me... if we're truly being honest with one another."

Kagome glared at him, catching his hint. "Fine, we'll go with the stupid idea."


	29. Chapter 29

**Fred**

"It's not a stupid idea…" Fred mumbled, sitting cross-legged in the air. The Weasley twin wore a pout on his face as Kagome rolled her eyes once again at him. But truthfully, he couldn't blame George for not believing either of them. If the roles were reversed, he would probably think Kagome was absolutely mental and write her off completely.

But since the roles were not reversed, Fred needed to do anything in his power to get George to believe the two of them. Even if it meant producing, supposedly stupid ideas.

Letting out a sight, Kagome began to explain Fred's plan to George. "He wants to lead me to your residence. Since I don't know where you live, he would be navigating me to your home. And I guess you would just follow me as I lead you to your house."

"It's a flat," Fred corrected.

"Flat! Excuuuuuse me," she sarcastically apologized while putting her hands on her hips. "Sorry I don't know all of your fancy technical terms. English is not an easy language to learn you know."

George snorted. "That is a stupid idea. How do I know you just don't know where I live? Perhaps you are just some creepy stalker who already knows all kinds of information about me."

Kagome glared back at him. "What part of I just arrived to this country a few days ago did you not understand? Besides…" She started while crossing her arms in front of her. "I've only ever stalked one person and it was to kill them."

Fred let out a groan at her response and George sputtered, "Is that supposed to make me feel better somehow? You really are looney."

"I am just being honest…" she mumbled avoiding both of their gazes. "I thought you wanted honesty…"


	30. Chapter 30

**Fred**

"I'm going to die…" George muttered to himself. "I've got a stalker and she is going to kill me."

Kagome's glare did not lessen in the slightest. "Like I would ever stalk you. Your brother was the one stalking me."

"You're the only person who can see me," Fred countered. "Of course I'm going to make sure I can find you."

"I can change my mind about helping you, you know," Kagome casually stated toward him. "There is nothing preventing me from walking out this door and never having anything to do with you again."

Fred was at a loss for words while George remained silent. Surely she was bluffing… wasn't she? It had to be a bluff or else, what other reason did he have to even keep trying to live? Even if at this point he wasn't sure what he could do to either get his body back or officially pass on. He finally settled on simply saying, "You can't leave."

"Oh, and why can't I leave?" Kagome questioned, expecting to receive a good explanation as to why she should help.

"I'll haunt you," he quietly responded while crossing his arms. "Forever." And he would never let her out of his sight again, that was certain.

Kagome rolled her eyes but didn't say another word, leaving the three of them in silence. It seemed they were at a standstill as to what to do. Fred of course wanted to follow through with his idea. But the real question was, would he even bother letting them?

To his utmost delight George finally said, "Well I guess I have no other choice than to let you lead me to my own home."

"Our home." Fred clarified, but his statement fell to deaf ears as he hurriedly rushed toward the door.


	31. Chapter 31

**George**

Nervous.

Extremely nervous.

George looked around quickly, but avoided making any eye contact with anyone as Kagome excitedly skipped down the steps from the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes break room area. He didn't have the time or nerve to stop and talk to anyone, especially any of the employees he hadn't seen in quite some time. How would he explain having this random muggle girl in his shop? Not that he truly expected anyone to just walk up to him and ask that question right away. But if he had been able to figure it out, then surely anyone else could too.

His gaze cautiously fixated itself on the mysterious girl in front of him as they stepped out into Diagon Alley. She slowly paced herself as she walked and took in each and every store they passed. Her face lit up with excitement as she looked around wonderously, just like when he found her in his own shop only a couple of hours ago, even stopping at the occasionally storefront to look through the window. She 'cooed' at the owls of Eeylops Owl Emporium, marveled at the elegant dress robes in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, and gaped at the ingredients lining the shelves of Slug and Jiggers Apothecary.

Thankfully there were hardly any people out shopping right now, since it was getting late and it was so cold outside. Everyone else was so focused on getting to the safety and warmth of the indoors that they didn't pay any attention to the young woman acting like a child experiencing their first time in Diagon Alley.

Thankfully, they were nearing the end of Diagon Alley which would mean technically they would be going back into muggle territory. The sooner he could get rid of this weird girl, the better.


	32. Chapter 32

**George**

As they reached the end of the alley way, George watched curiously as Kagome simply walked through the brick wall leading to the back of the Leaky Cauldron. No wand. No spells. No moving bricks. She just walked through the obstruction like it were Platform 9 ¾.

For someone who claimed to not be a witch, she certainly held some magical characteristics that he found very interesting. The barrier was one thing, but walking through solid objects was another. Pulling out his wand, he tapped the bricks to allow him access to the small pub and inn. He instantly made eye contact with Hannah Abbott who watched him follow after the small Asian girl he had recently bought food for after she had been mugged by chavs. Now that he thought about it, it wouldn't have mattered if she had been robbed or not. She wouldn't have had the wizarding currency required to pay for the meal.

He couldn't help but let out a soft laugh at the irony of it all.

In the meantime, Kagome had slowed her pace so that she was walking briskly next to him, staring up at him with her amused sapphire eyes. "What, may I ask, is so funny?"

"Nothing of importance, I suppose," he responded, forcing out a smile.

"Nothing of importance…" she echoed, continuing her gaze upon him. "You're really weird."

Says the girl that can walk through walls and generate barriers. George let out a snort. "Like you're one to talk."

She playfully stuck her tongue out at him as they walked through the exit of the pub. The cold air once again enveloped them as she stepped out on to the sidewalk. Looking up at the sky she blew into the air like a child just to see her breath.


	33. Chapter 33

**George**

A small smile crossed his lips as he watched her childish antics play out. Unconsciously, he imitated her actions and also blew into the air just to see the heat of his breath dance in the cold night air. When he looked back at her, she was giggling softly under her breath. A mittened hand covered what he was positive to be an amused smile.

"What, may I ask, is so funny?" he mimicked mockingly.

"Nothing of importance," she copied back in a fake british accent. "I suppose."

Rolling his eyes at her, he waited quietly for her to make her next move. Curiously enough, she stood in the same spot looking up and down the street, even standing on the tip of her toes as if to suddenly be able to see higher or further. Her look of mirth quickly faded into that of confusion followed quickly by distress.

"Is something the matter?" He asked casually, interested in her sudden change in demeanor.

"Well, you see the funny thing is…" she started sheepishly. "There is a chance that I don't see your brother anymore…"

She didn't see him anymore? After the desperate attempt to convince him that she could see Fred, she suddenly couldn't see him anymore? "How convenient," George dryly stated, before turning and briskly walking in the direction of his home. God, he felt like an idiot. He had let himself start to believe that maybe, just maybe, this girl could have been telling the truth. How could he have allowed himself to be swept up in her string of lies?

"In my defense, he was going pretty fast! After all he was pretty excited to be able to prove that I could see him!" She yelled while running after him.

George stopped and turned around, causing her to collide with him and quickly fall to the ground. "In your defense?" he spat out at her angrily. "You have no defense! I should have trusted my instincts when I thought you were just mental. I should have erased your memory and been done with you!"

Tears threatened to spill from the brim of her eyes as she looked up at him with her large blue eyes. He could see the hurt in them at every word he said, but at this point he didn't care one bit. "Do me a favor and stay away from me," he continued. "Keep your delusions to yourself."

Without another word he left the young girl alone on the sidewalk, and he honestly hoped to never see her again.


	34. Chapter 34

**Fred**

"Where the hell did they go?"

Fred sat cross legged on the steps leading into the building that he and his twin resided in. He wasn't sure when exactly he had lost George and Kagome. He was just so excited to get home and prove how genuine Kagome was in her words and statements. She could _see_ him. She could _hear_ him. Better yet, she could _touch_ him.

As childish and silly as it sounded... he really missed being able to hug his mum. Everytime Fred would accompany George to visit the newly renovated Burrow, he found himself watching jealously as his mother was able to warmly welcome all of his siblings and their significant others. Even if he tried he would always just phase right through everyone.

He just felt so cold all the time.

But with Kagome around, all of that could change. He could still remember how it felt when he helped her up mere hours ago. The warmth seemed to radiate through his entire body, and they had only briefly held hands. He wanted that feeling again. He _needed_ that feeling again. It was a necessary sensation that he would not lose again.

Fred was pulled out of his thoughts by George appearing at the bottom of the steps. Alone. The twin quickly walked up to the entrance, walking right through Fred.

"Where's Kagome?" Fred asked out loud, not expecting an answer. Looking around, he didn't see the Asian beauty anywhere. Furrowing his brow he took off after his brother into the flat.

George gripped his recently removed winter coat in his hand before quickly throwing it against the wall. "Lying muggle…" he muttered under his breath before sitting on the edge of his bed.

Fred blinked a few times in confusion. "What did I miss?"


	35. Chapter 35

**Fred**

He was honestly at a loss for words. He had been separated from Kagome and his brother for maybe ten minutes. Probably even less than that. Hell, they didn't live very far from the Leaky Cauldron, which is why they would just walk there whenever George did eventually (rarely) decide to leave the house.

So what had happened in the less than ten minute time span that he was apart from the living pair?

Obviously he could only talk to Kagome. But he had no idea where to even find her. He didn't know where she lived. He didn't know where she worked. He highly doubted she was still hanging around the Leaky Cauldron. Fred had absolutely zero leads when it came to locating the mysterious muggle. And he really didn't feel like popping into every flat in London just to find her. That would be time consuming and potentially mentally scarring.

Glancing over his shoulder, he took in his brother's appearance. George had gone from sitting on the edge of the bed, to sprawling backwards on to it while his legs hung over the side. One arm lay over his face and eyes while his other clenched the bed sheets. He hadn't uttered a word since first arriving home. The bloke looked absolutely dismal in the state he was in.

Fred needed to find her. And fast. George may not think that this girl was the answer, but deep down in his ghostly form, he knew that Kagome was the key to all of this. Hopefully George hadn't pushed her away beyond the point of return.

Since he hadn't the foggiest clue as to where to start, Fred decided to simply start where they had first met the girl and potentially where he last saw her: The Leaky Cauldron.


	36. Chapter 36

**Fred**

"Kagome!" Fred shouted at the top of his lungs. At least he didn't have to worry about looking silly by running around and frantically calling out her name since she was the only one that could hear and see him. Hopefully she would actually be around to hear him looking for her.

So far it seemed luck was not on his side. Snow was starting to fall a little harder from the sky forcing anyone that was left out on the streets at this hour indoors. With no one left outside, it made it pretty easy to tell if he could spot her or not. The Leaky Cauldron was just one more block up. After that, he had no idea where she could possibly be.

As he rounded the corner on to Charing Cross Road, he stopped in his tracks. Kagome was sitting hunched in front of the popular wizarding pub on the edge of the sidewalk. Snow clung to her clothes and mixed with her raven black hair, building up around her like she hadn't moved even an inch in a while. She must have been sitting in the same place since George and her went their separate ways.

Slowly walking toward her, he softly called her name. No response. He tried again the closer he got. Still no response. Finally he knelt in front of the mysterious girl until they were at the same eye level. Except she was looking solemnly toward the ground. Reaching out his right hand, he gently brushed some of the hair covering her face behind her ear. "Kagome?"

Sapphire blue eyes focused into recognition as they settled on his brown ones. With a weak smile she finally said, "Oh, hello Fred. I thought you might come back if I waited here long enough."


	37. Chapter 37

**Fred**

While he appreciated the fact that she stuck around to wait for him to come back, he also didn't want her catching cold or freezing to death on the side walk. They didn't need two ghosts running around the streets of London.

Fred's expression softened toward the small Asian woman. "What happened?"

She let out a sigh and watched her warm breath float away in the cold night air. "It's my own fault really," she started, hugging her knees and resting her chin on the top. "I should have chosen my words more wisely. When I said I couldn't see you anymore, I think he misunderstood and thought that I actually wasn't able to see you anymore, not that I had lost you." She let out another heavy sigh. "Then, he got mad. Told me to keep my delusions to myself and to stay away from him."

Fred frowned and stood up. Stupid George. He needed to stop shutting people out or the prat was going to die alone in that flat of his. Focusing his attention back toward Kagome, he extended his hand to her. "Well, you're not giving up are you?"

The two stared at one another. Her hesitation had him worried. What would he do if she had been pushed beyond the point of interest or return? No one else on the planet could see or hear him. She was the only one. He didn't want to go back to the lonely days of following George around. He couldn't lose her. "Well?" He questioned again.

She closed her eyes, contemplating her decision. But when she opened them, they were full of determination. Her hand met his and he instantly gripped it and pulled her to her feet. "I never give up. Now let's just hope George hasn't either."


	38. Chapter 38

**Fred**

His hand gave hers a squeeze, "That's the spirit. Let's go knock some sense in to my brother, shall we?" She squeezed his hand in response, excitement and resolve dancing behind her eyes. His own determination sparked, Fred instantly pulled her in the direction of the flat.

Kagome easily kept up with him as they ran on the sidewalk, crossing the street and taking the appropriate turns toward his living space. When they rounded the corner of his street, she quickened her pace. "I can feel the magic already," her whispered voice was full of awe as she spoke. "It's faint, but it feels like that strange Dragon Alley place…"

"Diagon Alley," he corrected.

"Diagonally?" She questioned, clearly mishearing him. "Isn't it a little further up ahead?" He rolled his eyes. He would have to educate her about the wizarding world later. Right now he had a brother to convince that this muggle girl wasn't crazy.

Finally they stopped across the street from the building and he released her hand. To be honest, the overall apartment wasn't very large, but it was their humble home. It had all the space they needed to live together. They each had their own bedroom, their own bathroom and a spacious sitting area. The kitchen was a tad small, but they never cooked anyway (not that he could eat right now anyway). But soon he'd finally have someone to talk to again in the flat, instead of talking out loud to himself day in and day out.

Fred turned around to look at Kagome. She stared up at the flat, her fists clenched at her side. "Well, let's go." He stepped forward to cross the street, ready to prove his existence to his twin.

"GEORGE!"

Her sudden outburst caused him to stop in his tracks and turn back around toward her. Perhaps she was a little crazy after all.


	39. Chapter 39

**Fred**

"Are you mental?!" Fred shouted toward Kagome, who kept her focus on the flat in front of them. He put his hands on her shoulders and blocked her view. "It's late. People are in bed trying to sleep. You can't just go screaming for people in the middle of the night. You're a disturbance."

"Oh? And what's _your_ plan?" Kagome rolled her shoulders, shaking Fred off of her. "Stroll inside and just _talk_ to him? Better yet, I'll just walk up to the door, knock and say 'Found you!' It'll be great, he'll slam the door in my face and everything."

Fred clicked his tongue in annoyance. "So you scream his name as loud as you can and wake up the neighborhood? How exactly is your plan much better?"

She smirked. "I'll get him to come to me. It may not be a great plan, but at least it will get him to talk to me on his own."

She stepped away from him and called out George's name again, even louder. Fred let out a sigh and crossed his arm. Turning around, he faced the apartment building along with Kagome and mumbled, "You're weird."

" _I'm_ the weird one?" Kagome scoffed, glancing at him at him briefly. "Because I'm the dead one floating around London." Fred's lower lip protruded in a sulky pout. "Just out of curiosity," she continued. "Is there anyone else we can prove your existence too if this doesn't work?"

"No," Fred replied softly. "If we can't convince George, I doubt we could convince anyone else." But if George could be convinced, they just might be able to show the rest of his family that he was still around too. One step at a time.

Suddenly, the front door creaked open, pulling Fred from his thoughts.


	40. Chapter 40

**George**

"George!"

His eyes snapped open at the sudden sound of someone crying out his name. It was faint, but he was certain he heard it being called. Standing up, he quickly made his way toward the window facing the main street. Pulling aside the curtain, he scowled at the sight that greeted him. The annoying muggle girl was standing on the sidewalk across the street staring intensely at the building. He quickly closed the curtains and stomped back over to the bed.

Stupid woman. She must have followed him home from the Leaky Cauldron. Why couldn't she just leave him alone? For just a moment he almost believed her earlier. He almost believed that she was actually talking to Fred and that his brother's ghost was leading the two of them to his home. She made him feel like an idiot… a complete fool.

"GEORGE!"

He snapped his head back towards the window and furrowed his brow in anger. She had humiliated him, and now he was going to get back at her. Anger was billowing up inside him as he stood and speedily walked out of the room. He wasn't sure what her game plan is, or what motive she had for tormenting him. But he would return the torment ten fold if it got her to leave him alone. Descending the stairs to the entrance, he opened the squeaky front door.

George's eyes instantaneously met with the determination filled cerulean ones of Kagome. The seemingly naive tourist that he only hours ago bought a meal for was suddenly his tormenter. He would return the favor ten-fold. "I thought I told you to stay away from me."

"You'll learn that I often don't do as I'm told," Kagome replied calmly.

"Then you'll have to learn your actions have consequences," he retorted whilst pulling out his wand and instantly pointing it at her. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blast you right now or turn you over to the Ministry to let them have their way with you?"

Kagome scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Have their way with me? That's disgusting." Her attention was temporarily diverted to her left hand side, as though listening out for something. With a quick nod she turned her attention back toward him. "Your brother says you wouldn't do that to me. You wouldn't hand me over to anyone. Especially the Ministry. He says they are too unstable right now anyway."

"I believe I also told you to keep your delusions to yourself," he retorted. He gripped his wand a little harder and walked down the steps leading into the apartment.

"If you would only listen to me," she started walking toward him slowly. "We could work together to help Fred. He just wants to be able to communicate with you."

George suppressed a growl. How _dare_ she act like she knew anything about Fred. He was done listening to her fabrications about speaking with his brother. She had officially worn on his last nerve, and he was going to put a stop to her nonsense. He raised his arm wand in hand.

But before he even got a chance to utter a spell, Kagome rushed forward onto the sidewalk and smacked his arm upward, knocking his wand out of his hand in the process. George hastily pushed her away and raised his hand, calling, " _Accio wand!"_ It rapidly flew back to him, but she was faster than he thought her to be. Her hands were like lightning as she intercepted the wand before he could grasp it.

"I am tired of you threatening me with your stupid magical incantations," she snapped while clutching the magical object to her chest.

This only infuriated him further. "And I'm tired of your lies!" George charged the small woman in attempt to take back his wand. Surprised by his sudden action, she took a step backward only to slip on the edge of the pedway. He watched as she stumbled off the sidewalk toward the ground.

But what he had failed to notice was the bright pair of headlights that rapidly rounded the corner towards them. Approaching a little too fast. His eyes widened when he realized that during their mini scuffle George had somehow accidentally summoned the Knight Bus. But there was no way she could get out of the way in time.

The world moved in slow motion as he cried out her name. He may of wanted her out of his life, but that didn't mean he wanted to be responsible for killing someone. His heart rate quickened and his mind raced back to the Battle of Hogwarts when Fred was buried under a pile of rubble and lost forever.

Now he would be guilty for the death of a muggle.

In the blink of an eye, the Knight Bus parked itself right in front of him where Kagome had fallen just seconds ago. But there was no impact. No blood spattered ground. No trace that she had even been there at all. George was left stunned and highly confused.

The voice of Stanley Shunpike pulled him from his train of thought. "I've never seen anyone float like that before. You charm her up there?"

George snapped his attention to the direction that the conductor pointed. He was just as surprised to see Kagome somehow floating above the Knight Bus, as if she were being carried bridal style. Her eyes were clenched shut in fear as she hovered above the two confused wizards, still awaiting impact from the vehicle.

One at a time Kagome opened her eyes and took in her current situation. Her countenance displayed just as much shock as the rest of them and she let out a small shriek as she realized that she wasn't on the ground anymore. Slowly she descended back towards the earth. As soon as her feet touched the pavement, she turned around and seemingly threw her arms around some invisible force in the air in a hug.

What in the bloody hell just happened?


	41. Chapter 41

**Fred**

If he thought his heart could actually stop again, he would have believed it had when the Knight Bus got dangerously close to hitting Kagome. He couldn't lose her. It was one thing when he wasn't sure if he'd see her again. But if she died… no… was killed, all hope would certainly be lost.

Something had to be done.

Rushing forward, he did the only thing he could think of: snatch her out of the way. The bus phased through the bottom half of his body as he hoisted her up in the air. But he paid no attention to the happenings of what was going on below him, instead focusing on the startled girl he held bridal style in the air. Her eyes were shut tight and her hands were balled into fists as she still waited for the impact of the large vehicle to come, slightly shaking in his arms.

"Are you alright?" He muttered softly to her causing her tremors to cease. Slowly, she cracked an eye, and then the other. Her bright sapphire orbs met with his own brown ones and a wave of relief washed over the both of them. However it was quickly followed by a wide range of other emotions that manifested across her face: shock, confusion and surprise at realizing they were floating in the air above the streets of London.

She let out a shriek. "Put me down! Put me down!"

Fred cracked a small smile as he obliged to her request, and the two descended back to the ground. Once her feet met the pavement, she turned around and threw her arms his neck enveloping him in a tight embrace. "Oh thank you, thank you Fred!"

A small blush creeped across his face as the warmth of her body spread across his own. Unconsciously he nuzzled into her hair and returned her sudden display of affection. Hugs were definitely something he missed receiving. "I'm just glad you're okay…"

An awkward cough interrupted the warmhearted moment, drawing the two's attention to the sidewalk. Stan shifted his trademark hat to the side and let out a low whistle. "I may not have been the smartest wizard these past few years," he started staring at Kagome, more than likely referring to his being under the Imperius curse for a couple of years thanks to the Death Eaters. Once the war was over, Stan did the only thing that made sense: return as the conductor of the Knight Bus. "But something really weird just happened. How'd you go floatin' up like that?"

"Well, seeing as I was about to get hit by a bus that a certain _someone_ was driving," she began crossing her arms with a glare at the conductor. Fred let out a snigger at the snide comment, but held his own tongue interested to hear what she was going to say next. She shifted her gaze to the silent Weasley brother still standing on the sidewalk with his wand out, staring at her wide-eyed. "I was rescued by your brother, Fred Weasley."

Stan let out a loud, disgruntled sound while crossing his own arms. "In my defense, I was not driving. Ernie was driving, the dingy old codger…"

Kagome rolled her eyes but remained silent. Fred watched his brother who continued to just stare at the girl that just floated back to the ground. "He's torn," he said with a smirk. "I think he is starting to believe you but really doesn't want to. The bugger never did like admitting he was wrong."

Well this time he would have to.


	42. Chapter 42

**George**

George had tuned out the idiotic Knight Bus conductor next to him that blathered on about how the accident wouldn't have been his fault had Kagome been hit. But George would have believed it to be his own fault should she have been harmed. He had been the one that summoned the wizarding transportation after all, even if it was entirely accidental.

But one thing is certain: Kagome is a muggle.

However, she was clearly floating in the air just a few moments ago. She had no wand, and no other witches or wizards were around. Something… or someone had saved her. George felt his resolve waver. No muggle can be _that_ good at acting. The more he thought about his entire evening, the more he questioned if she had been telling the truth after all.

The space around her was empty though. He couldn't see anyone or anything there. At Hogwarts the students could see ghosts, so why wouldn't he be able to see his own brother's dead spirit and this muggle girl could? Why could _she_ talk to him? Why _her_?

She suddenly let out a dainty sneeze, pulling him from his thoughts and frustrations. The snow was still coming down, slowly piling up on the ground, temperature dropping further now that the sun was down. Pulling her coat a bit tighter around her, she tried to stifle her shivers.

Letting out a sigh, he made his decision. Quickly walking forward he grabbed her by the hand and started dragging her toward the apartment. Stan in the meantime, clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I take it you won't be needin' a ride then?"

"No, we won't be needing your services. We'll be chatting inside, thank you." George didn't bother to turn around, but he knew Kagome was grinning from ear to ear.


	43. Chapter 43

**George**

He lead her into the sitting room of his apartment and quickly waved his wand at the fireplace muttering, " _Incendio!_ " Her eyes lit up as fire instantly appeared and started to warm up the room. Stripping herself of her thick winter jacket, Kagome sat down on the hardwood floor and placed her hands near the fire. "Make yourself comfortable, I guess," George mumbled to himself. Running his hand through his hair in a tired notion, he decided to go into the kitchen area and put on the kettle. Maybe some tea would calm his nerves...

"You guys have a really nice apartment!" She called out to him. George pursed his lips together, choosing to ignore her choice in plural noun. "I appreciate you letting me come inside and talk to you."

He remained silent, simply waiting for the water to boil. In the meantime, he gathered two mugs and prepared some black tea. Closing his eyes, he leaned against the counter trying to clear his mind. But all he could hear was the amiable chatter of his newest houseguest, talking to who he could only assume to be his brother if what she claims is true.

"He really called me a lying muggle?" Kagome said softly in disbelief, catching George's attention. He had said those words. Alone. In his bedroom. After he left her stranded in front of The Leaky Cauldron. Someone had heard him. But could that someone really have been Fred?

Once the tea was ready he brought over the tray with both beverages along with sides of milk and sugar to the sitting room table. He sat alone on the couch as Kagome chose to join him at the table but kneeling on the floor comfortably. She sipped on her tea quietly before glancing at him expectantly.

George quirked a brow. What did she want now?


	44. Chapter 44

**George**

"If you're waiting on an apology from me, don't expect one so soon." George nonchalantly said while blowing on his tea in a feeble attempt to cool it down.

Kagome protruded her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout. "Not even for almost getting me run over? Fred said that it takes a wizard and their wand to summon that… what was it…. Knight Bus?"

He awkwardly stirred a bit more milk into his tea. She had a point. He was responsible for summoning the Knight Bus. But she had provoked him by showing up at his doorstep and shouting at him.

"I wouldn't have shown up if you hadn't ditched me at that pub," she commented as if reading his mind. "Lucky for me your brother came back looking for me." She looked happily to the empty space to her left, directly across from himself.

"You're still sticking with that story?" George mumbled, barely loud enough for her to hear. He slumped back against the couch, exhausted from the entirety of the evening.

Kagome threw her arms up into the air exasperatedly. "I was literally floating in the air! I am not a witch! I can't do that on my own! Your brother saved me! When are you going to quit being so stubborn and accept the fact that I'm telling you the truth?"

He pursed his lips and closed his eyes. Was he really being too stubborn? He was a wizard after all. Almost everything should be believable to him. But when it comes to Fred… the best friend he's had to suffer without for the past six months and somehow magically move on in life without… he wasn't ready to gamble anything.

What's the use in getting his hopes up with the words of this stranger, only to be let down?


	45. Chapter 45

**Fred**

Fred mimicked Kagome by sprawling out on the floor (more like hovering right above it). If he could bang his head against a wall he would, unfortunately for the spirit he would just phase right through it. They were getting absolutely no where with his git of a brother. Not that he could blame him… if the situation were reversed he would probably think Kagome was looney too.

"Maybe I should drag you across the floor or something… think that would work?" Fred jokingly asked. Perhaps all he needed to do was display the special interactions he could do with Kagome more and that would get him to believe.

The dainty Asian let out a surprising growl. "If you drag me across this floor I will smack you so hard you will fly right into the next apartment."

"Duly noted my dear," Fred responded with a mischievous grin. Of course, he chose to do the opposite and proceeded to quickly manifest himself by her head before grabbing her by the hands and dragging her across the floor.

She squealed out his name before freeing herself of his grasp. True to her word she stood up angrily glaring at the ghostly twin. Before she got the chance to say anything, an idea struck in his mind. It was stupid, probably more so than his last idea of trying to lead her to their home (since _that_ turned out so well). The lovely Kagome had been wearing a skirt underneath that long, heavy winter coat of hers along with some tights. Fred grinned from ear to ear before suddenly flipping up her skirt, baring her undergarments to the twins. Faster than he could have imagined raised her hand and whipped it across his face.

The crack of skin meeting skin echoed in the room.


	46. Chapter 46

**Fred**

The room fell silent for a brief moment. In that moment, Fred stared at the look of bewilderment donning his brother's face. It was a look of realization. One that screamed to the world that this looney muggle wasn't so looney after all. It was one thing to be able to replicate levitation with nonverbal spells. In fact, it was every muggle magician's basic trick. But to be able to duplicate a sound like a slap? That's something that not even the finest magicians could master without help.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Kagome shrieked, face flush from embarrassment but eyebrows furrowed in anger. She didn't even pay attention to the fact that George was staring at her, struggling with his own course of action. "I don't know what kind of weird traditions your country has, but in mine we don't welcome others into our homes by sexually harassing them."

"It's nothing personal love," Fred said with a grin. Although if he was being honest, he didn't regret doing it at all. "Just trying to get the message across." And it appeared that he had been successful. It had been a last minute effort, but one that clearly paid off. Now all he needed was the admission from his brother.

"Message?" Kagome crossed her arms in annoyance. "What message…?" Her sentence merely trailed off as her eyes finally took in George's frozen face of awe. Then realization hit her. Completely disregarding her previous frustrations, she clapped her hands together in excitement, delight shining in her big blue eyes. "George…? She whispered, taking a step toward the twin.

He slowly looked up and made eye contact with her. He let out a short, exasperated laugh. "Merlin's beard…. You can see Fred."


	47. Chapter 47

**George**

He truthfully and wholeheartedly did not want to believe that what this muggle girl was claiming was true. He did everything in his power to convince himself that she was absolutely bonkers, even playing off the levitation and movements as simple wandless magic. But she slapped _someone_. He could actually hear it. She couldn't fake something like that, and she certainly didn't slap herself.

On top of that, she seemed genuinely upset and embarrassed over her skirt being flipped upwards. Most women don't go around showing off their panties like that unless they were soliciting themselves for money. There was no way this girl would be out doing such a thing. She was too prideful and too stubborn.

She'd have made a perfect Gryffindor.

Feeling overwhelmed, he ran his hand through his hair. "Where do we go from here?" He mumbled out loud, more so to himself than anyone else.

"I can slap him again if you want," Kagome said with a grin, a devious glint in her eye. "I'd be more than happy to provide a reenactment for you."

George was trying not to display his own grin at her playful words. "Well," he stepped forward and ushered her towards the living room couch. "As much as I would love to hear you slap my brother again, I think we're past all this nonsense. It would seem you do have me at a disadvantage though."

"What disadvantage?" She asked while making herself comfortable on the couch. He sat down next to her and only assumed that Fred sat on her other side. He could imagine his brother's excited face at their interactions and his final acceptance of the truth that Fred had been trying to prove all night.

"You know an awful lot more about me than I know about you."


	48. Chapter 48

**George**

She let out a nervous laugh. "Honestly, now I fear you _really_ won't believe what I have to say! For the past few years my life has been anything but ordinary. I've found it difficult to adjust back to a sense of normality. I'm feeling rather fortunate to have met the two of you wizards."

Well, it seemed as though she hadn't really been lying about anything to him yet. At this point he didn't have a reason not to believe what she had to say anymore. After all, despite her being a muggle she wasn't surprised in the slightest by the idea of magic or a wizarding school for that matter. Just unaware of it.

"Well, since we are wizards, I'm sure you'll learn that we'll believe just about anything," George commented while leaning back against the couch, his hands behind his head.

"Anything except for a tourist claiming to be able to talk to your deceased twin brother it would seem," Kagome teased while seemingly highfiving the air by the empty space on the couch.

George clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Yes, well I'm listening now." He was quite interested in learning more about that pink bubble of hers that completely blocked out his magic along with her quick note about a witch stealing part of her soul from earlier in the evening.

"It's kind of a long story. Full of demons, time travel and me being the protector of an ancient artifact," she said casually. "It would probably take most of the night."

Pulling out his wand George uttered a growth charm on the couch they were currently sitting on, causing it to drastically increase in size, the cushions elongating outward like a bed. Kagome's eyes glimmered with excitement as they very upholstery she was sitting on shifted. Her antics were similar to those back at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, very childlike. It was refreshing to see the first-year like behavior as an adult.

Summoning some blankets and pillows, he tossed a set toward the girl who immediately started to make herself comfortable. Wrapping the blanket around her she snuggled against the pillow she leaned against the back of the couch. Closing her eyes she let out a sigh, before carefully starting her story:

"It all started on my fifteenth birthday, when my cat disappeared into the well house on our property and my brother was too scared to go in and get him…"


	49. Chapter 49

**Fred**

Fred listened carefully alongside his brother as Kagome slowly unraveled her tale. She weaved a passionate epic of transcending time, fighting demons, and losing friends. Her words had been true back at the shop when she said that she never joked about the dead. It was strange to think that while the Wizarding World was experiencing its own turmoil, this teenage girl was busy living her own adventure trying to make sure that the world she was born into stayed the way it was.

For two years she traveled around Feudal Japan piecing together some ancient jewel that she was born with and broke on accident. A jewel promising power and strength to the individual that obtained the small trinket. Their rag tag group consisting of a time-traveling priestess, a monk, a demon-slayer, a fox demon child, a cat demon and a half-demon all banded together to take down a resourceful half-demon villain by the name of Naraku.

Hell, her experiences just might be able to give the boy-who-lived a run for his money. In fact, now that he thought about it, Harry was protected for the most part while at Hogwarts. Sure he had faced death once or twice a school year, but he had his wand and the protection of the Order behind him. Harry also never killed anyone or anything except for the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. (Which the Weasley family will forever be grateful for since he saved Ginny.)

But what was magic and wands compared to physically harming or destroying someone? But Kagome was a priestess. She actually killed demons (sometimes even turning them to dust with her purification powers) and she saved tons of people. And this was on a day to day basis!

The hardest part was that she was ripped away from it all. After being trapped inside of the Shikon Jewel and battling alongside that Inuyasha fellow, they finally managed to defeat Naraku. But their release was hardly celebratory. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she was immediately transported back to her own time. The present time.

"Every day for over a year I jumped into the Bone-Eater's Well, hoping that it would transport me back to the Feudal Era… back to them..." Kagome whispered forlornly, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "Eventually I had no choice but to give up. So with the support of my family, I took all the money I had and decided to do the one thing I had been doing since my fifteenth birthday."

Fred smirked. "You travelled."

Kagome sent him a weak smile. "I travelled," she echoed, as a courtesy to George. "I have no where in particular to go. I've simply been bouncing from city to city, slowly making my way west. I've been to Mumbai, Istanbul, Giza, Alexandria, Athens, Rome... any city throughout history that's even hinted at something other than ordinary. But nothing has tugged at my senses. At this point I'm just trying to figure out where I belong in this world and what role I am supposed to play now." She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "I was so determined to not be normal, that I wanted to do everything in my power to find some sort of supernatural in the world."

"Was?" George questioned while barely holding himself up with one arm and stifling a yawn with the other. The trio was rapidly growing tired.

"Well, something drew me to London. My senses keep pulling me to Whitehall. I've wandered the street dozens of times looking for some sort of sign or clue. Then today I was drawn to Leaky Cauldron. Where I met you two." She sounded so thankful as she spoke and the appreciative look she threw his way made his heart melt.

If his face looked anything like his brother's (which it typically _always_ did) he was blushing from embarrassment. Thankfully, the room was so dark, he doubted Kagome would notice. She seemed lost in her own thoughts, basking in the moment between the two wizards.

But her story did leave him wondering...

"I have a question," Fred started, earning her attention. "If you were so desperate to find a paranormal experience, why were you so insistent on having nothing to do with me?"

"Honestly," she said while taking his hand in her own. "Typically nothing good comes from tampering with souls and the dead. Part of my soul was used to revive Kikyou and she became nothing but a vengeful vessel consumed by hatred. She didn't find peace until she was killed again. I almost watched the soul of little Mayu get dragged to hell and I was almost dragged down along with her. But if I had never run away from you, I never would have stepped into that magical shopping center. So truthfully, I owe ending my search to you." She ended her small speech with a squeeze to his hand.

While it wasn't necessarily the answer he wanted to hear, he needed to know. He held no regrets in pursuing the priestess and practically begging her not to leave. Thankfully for now she was interested in sticking around the two wizards. His only hope was that she wouldn't decide to continue her search if she ever got bored with the wizarding world.

Fred would just have to make sure that never happened.


	50. Chapter 50

**George**

George sleepily pondered over the fairy tale like saga he was just told. The entire experience sounded extraordinary, but he was a wizard so it wasn't like he had much room to talk. He had heard about Hermione using a time-turner for her classes (with a quick side trip to save the lives of Sirius Black and Buckbeak). But for this seemingly muggle girl to be pulled through time 500 years, and then freely travel to and from the different time periods sounded unheard of. Surely the Ministry would have been able to pick up on the unauthorized magic use in Japan, especially if it was being activated so many times. Or perhaps the Ministry's influence didn't extend as far as Japan...

He was also impressed when she mentioned being drawn to Whitehall. The abandoned red phone booth used to take visitors to the Ministry of Magic was located on that street along with the employee entrances just a little further down the road at the underground public toilets. So it was clear that she did have some sort of heightened sense when it came to locating magic. If she had ventured her way to Romania she surely would have stumbled across Charlie's dragon sanctuary along with Hagrid's pet Norberta.

But to be honest, he was more interested in this magical trinket that their new priestess friend was the guardian of. She spent a couple of years trying to piece the bauble together after she accidentally shattered it. Then she was captured in the jewel with this half-demon fellow forced into battle with the bloke. The jewel was whole at that point in time (although five hundred years ago), and the world clearly seemed intact now without demons running rampant. So the real question is:

"Where is the Jewel of Four Souls now?"


	51. Chapter 51

**George**

If she still had this magical jewel that could grant any wish, why couldn't he use it? After all, he and Fred were supposedly helping her escape from a sense of normality. So why not get a little bit of a thank you in return? Even if that thank you consisted of her life's work.

Kagome turned her head to him, with half-lidded eyes. She was clearly struggling to stay awake and it showed in every inch of her body. On top of all of her exhaustion though, she looked relieved, like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders in telling her tale. "To be honest, I don't know." She let out a defeated sigh before closing her eyes completely. "Like I said, I escaped the jewel and was ripped back to the modern world. I never got to find out what happened to my friends or to the jewel. I even spent weeks doing research on the jewel itself through history. It was like it was completely erased."

He listened to her answer, disheartened by it of course. If there was no jewel to be found, then that meant no chance on wishing for Fred to be alive again. "Perhaps your friends wished it out of existence?"

"It's a possibility that I've thought of but I have no proof of it. I was always so certain that any of the demons I met in the past that were still alive would try to find me or that I would be able to sense them…" Kagome drawled out disappointed.

"Have you sensed any demons since you returned to this era?" George asked curiously. It certainly would be interesting to know if there were monsters masquerading and prancing around the world as humans all day.

Kagome solemnly shook her head.


	52. Chapter 52

**George**

A sudden movement around his midriff caused George to stir from his slumber. Slowly opening his eyes, it took a moment for his vision to come back to him. When had he fallen asleep? Where had he fallen asleep? For once he actually felt well refreshed. He couldn't remember the last time he got a good night's rest since Fred's death.

Raising his arms above his head, he arched his back upward in an attempt to stretch it out only to realize that his stomach felt heavy. Settling back into the couch, he glanced down at his abdomen. The sleeping form of Kagome snuggling into him cozily greeted his sight. Her right arm was lodged between his side and the back of the couch, while her left hand tangled itself his shirt. With her head resting lightly against him, the rest of her body was curled up between his legs.

Memories from the previous evening came flooding back to him. All the highs, the lows, her story and the complete emotional exhaustion that came with the rollercoaster that was last night. Letting out an exasperated sigh he put his hands behind his head. If she was as tired as he was last night, then he didn't want to be the one to disturb her slumber. He'd had his fair share of accidentally waking up women in the past (mainly his sister Ginny) and it was not a pretty sight. She always threw the hardest punches when forced out of sleep.

"...yasha…" Kagome sleepily mumbled in her sleep. Too bad he didn't know Japanese.

He was about to close his eyes and try and get some more rest when he noticed what looked like a dip in her shirt, and it looked as though her skirt was being pinned to the couch. Furrowing his brow, he pondered aloud:

"Is Fred sleeping on her?"


	53. Chapter 53

**Fred**

He was positive that he heard his name, which prompted the ghost to open his eyes. It was strange, but he felt warm and comfortable, two things he hadn't really recalled experiencing since death. Sitting up, he suddenly realized his source of comfort and instantly blushed. When had they even fallen asleep? In fact… had he even really slept since his death? It's not like he needs rest at all really. But still, he felt really good.

As it turned out though, he had heard his name, and he was not the only one. George was staring in his general direction, looking at him curiously while Kagome's eyes slowly fluttered open. She froze when she took in her surroundings, and slowly she brought her gaze up to look at George who instantly turned his attention toward her when he felt her move. She promptly turned red at the compromising position she had found herself in.

"I am so sorry!" She blurted out suddenly, turning away from him in embarrassment and scrambling to sit up. "I can't believe I literally fell asleep on you…"

Fred saw a mischievous glimmer in his twin's eye and thought he heard him let out a soft laugh. "Well," he started while glancing in Fred's direction out of the corner of his eye. "If it's any consolation, I think Fred literally fell asleep on your lap."

Fred's jaw dropped as Kagome's eyes widened. He didn't think it was possible for the poor girl to blush any harder, but she quickly stood up and excused herself to the washroom. Fred crossed his arms as he glanced at his devious counterpart, brow furrowed in agitation. To think that his brother betrayed him in the most heinous of ways that a brother even could.

George had tattled on him. Prat.


	54. Chapter 54

**Fred**

Grumbling to himself, Fred stood up to leave a satisfied looking George on the oversized couch. But when his brother let out an exaggerated sigh, he stopped in his tracks. Glancing over his shoulder, he watched his twin run his fingers through his hair, a troubled expression on his face.

"I don't really know if you're actually there or not," he pondered out loud. He was conflicted and it showed. He was hunched and started to wring his hands together nervously. "She says you are… this woman that just shared her whole life with us… My head is telling me that she's crazy…" He paused and closed his eyes, thinking about what exactly he wanted to say next. "But I truthfully hope she isn't…"

Fred mustered up a weak smile. "I know you can't hear me, but thankfully she isn't looney. You will see me one day, and I won't see that hurt expression of yours again." He wished he could hug his brother, or interact with him period. He wished he could prove his existence himself and not have to rely on Kagome at all. But unfortunately, life (or afterlife when it came to his case) had other plans for him.

Resuming his stride, he made his way to the bathroom entry. He rose his hand to knock, and suddenly remembered that it wasn't possible for him to actually touch the door. "Kagome," he called out to her. The sound of something smashing on the tile floor was his answer and he quickly poked his head through the door asking, "Are you alright?"

He came face to face with the backside of the girl, as she knelt on all fours to pick up small pieces of the soap dish she managed to shatter. Turning around, her mouth thinned into a line while her eyes widened and her face turned red. Quickly standing up she clenched her fists at her side. "You… You… Pervert!"

The force of the slap that followed was so powerful he was thrown right back through the door.


	55. Chapter 55

**George**

He was slightly startled to once again hear the resonating sound of skin crashing against skin and the sudden exclamation of Kagome from the wash room. Rising from the couch, he slowly sauntered over toward the source of the commotion. He halted a couple of feet from the door when it wildly swung open to reveal his… their… infuriated houseguest.

Her blue eyes radiated fury. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" She fumed while looking past him onto the floor. George wondered if he squinted hard enough if he would see steam coming out of her ears. Angry women was definitely nothing new to him. He'd seen Hermione and Ginny frustrated with Harry and Ron more than enough times to know of a woman's wrath.

She listened intently to what Fred had to say, or so he assumed since the room suddenly became quiet. Patiently he alternated his gaze between her and the space on the floor that she was watching. Unknowingly, he started to tap his foot in anticipation and slight agitation. At this point, he was merely feeling left out.

Finally she let out a sigh, allowing her furrowed facial expressions to soften. "Despite how noble you may think your reasoning was, it doesn't mean you get to pop in the bathroom with women inside, you peeping tom." Her eyes suddenly shifted toward him. "Well, sorry for barging in on you. I think I'm going to go freshen up in a more private setting, thank you very much."

George blinked in confusion as she stepped over to the giant couch bed he had created where her winter coat draped over the edge. She was leaving? Just like that? His heartbeat quickened as he tried to process her words and what that meant.

He didn't want her to leave.


	56. Chapter 56

**George**

He needed to think fast. She had already picked up her overcoat and was putting it on. He knew that muggles used small electronic devices to communicate with each other. What had his dad called them? Moguls? Marbles? Mobiles? Bloody hell… why hadn't he paid more attention to whatever useless information his dad would try to share with the family at dinner about the muggle world?

He shook his head in an attempt to completely clear it. He didn't have time for this. Nor did he even have a small electronic communication device of his own. After all, wizards and electronics didn't really mix too well with one another anyway. Their magic tended to just short out the device.

Think George, think!

Taking a deep breath, he did the only thing he could think of: he quickly put on his boots and put on his own winter coat. She halted her footsteps and eyed him warily. "What are you doing? Going to work?"

What _was_ he doing?

He wasn't quite sure of the best way to answer her question. A little over twelve hours ago he'd almost gotten her hit by a bus, but now he didn't want her out of his sight. Better yet he needed to know how to locate her or talk to her should he need to. He couldn't just rely on her to randomly show up in order to figure out how to help Fred. Maybe she had a fireplace at her apartment that he could connect to the floo network. He didn't want her thinking he was stalking her after he accused her of doing the same last night.

"It would be quite ungentlemanly of me not to walk you home. I'm not sure if you recall, but you were already mugged once."

Smooth.


	57. Chapter 57

**Fred**

She seemed completely unimpressed with George's words. Cocking a hip to one side, she rested her hand on it in a feisty manner. "That's interesting, because I recall a certain red head abandoning me outside of The Leaky Cauldron last night after yelling at me to keep my delusions to myself. I do believe you and I have different views on the word 'ungentlemanly'."

Fred pursed his lips together in a feeble attempt to suppress his laughter as George turned away hiding his flushed face. She was absolutely right, and he knew his brother wasn't about to admit it anytime soon. After all, it was a bit surprising after last night's events that George was even attempting to follow the girl home. It was amazing how quickly some things could change in your life. But at least they were on the same page about one thing:

They couldn't let her out of their sight.

"Come now vixen, it's been a long night. Let us walk you home," Fred managed to pick himself off the ground from the wicked wallop she landed on him. Her punches were as powerful as a bludger, that was for sure.

"Why? So you can be a pervert at my own flat? I'd rather you not try and peep at me when I'm trying to bathe, thanks." Kagome supplied while turning away from the two of them and starting down the stairs to the front door.

Fred turned to look at his brother. George's internal struggle about the situation was apparent on his twin's face. Should he go after the girl or leave her be? After a moment, his brother made up his mind. George grabbed his scarf and tied it around his neck, taking off down the stairs after her. Fred grinned.

"Atta boy, Georgie."


	58. Chapter 58

**Fred**

Fred lazily floated overhead as George stepped into place next to Kagome. Her pace was quick, and she easily twisted her way through the people of the street as she walked. His brother was struggling a little to match her speed, but he managed to remain at least one step behind her. "Must be nice to simply fly over everyone," she suddenly called out.

Fred grinned and made his way down to her. "Jealous, vixen?"

"Hardly," she responded nonchalantly.

"I could carry you, if you'd like." He offered. It would be a sight to behold. He could see the muggle headlines now: 'Girl Defies Gravity. Flies Over City.' He chuckled at the idea. Then _everyone_ would see up her skirt.

"I think you've carried me enough in the past twenty four hours, thanks." Kagome said in a sarcastically sweet voice. George remained quiet throughout their exchange. It appeared that whenever Kagome would take the time to talk to the ghost, his brother would merely observe her. After all, George had no idea what the deceased brother was saying. He could only infer based on her words.

They walked for a long time. Longer than Fred would have cared to. He was betting that George wished he had grabbed his broomstick. Although his brother was looking around constantly, as if mentally mapping the path they've taken so far. He hoped George managed to memorize it all, because they have been traveling a little over forty-five minutes now, and he was starting to get annoyed.

"Are we there yet?" Fred called out bored. He wasn't even walking and he was feeling tired already.

Kagome either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him. Either way, his question was answered when she stopped in front of a tattered looking building.

"We're here."


	59. Chapter 59

**Fred**

The building was an absolute disaster. It was one of those terrible little apartment complexes on the outskirts of London that signed short leases a month at a time. Because of this, the building is typically not kept up with and the turnover rate with the tenants (and more than likely the staff as well) was very high.

The rooftop was missing shingles, while the stairs were cracking and falling apart. Many of the windows had holes in them, a few even missing completely. A group of chavs grouped together on the side of the building, one even blatantly spray painting the side of the structure. Fred wouldn't be surprised if it was this same group of brats that robbed Kagome on her way out yesterday.

Walking into the building was an even worse eye sore than the outside. The carpet was frayed and stained, while hideous yellow-green wallpaper was peeling off the walls. Bugs littered the inside of the light fixtures and dust caked along the baseboards. Clearly they didn't have anyone maintaining the public areas of the complex. The sight was nauseating. Surely all muggles didn't live this way… right?

When they finally reached her living quarters, they quickly realized that her room wasn't much better. She kept it tidy enough, but if you really looked at the room, it was easy to spot its flaws. It was a single room in which everything resided: bed, kitchenette, washroom, sitting area. All of it was squashed together awkwardly in a tight space. The only personal effects in the room was a tattered looking yellow backpack on the floor by the bed.

"Welcome to my home," she offered with a nervous laugh.

Fred and his brother each stared at her incredulously. Clearly she was mental after all. No sane person could possibly live here. Thinking along the same lines, both Forge and Gred said:

"You're moving out."


	60. Chapter 60

**Fred**

She frowned at him and alternated her glances between him and his brother. "I don't really think that's your decision to make," Kagome argued cooly. "I am perfectly self-sufficient here without anyone's help."

Fred only continued to stare at her in disbelief. She lived here? Here? Who would actually pay to stay at this dump? He wouldn't stand for it. In fact, he had decided: she's not allowed to live here. They would find her other accommodations, but first she needed to pack her belongings and get out of here before she catches some muggle disease.

"You're moving out," Fred repeated. "We can find somewhere closer for you to stay to London." Closer to us, he added mentally. Not to mention, trying to find this place again would be a nightmare. He should have been more mindful to take note of each turn the group took to get there. Too bad he didn't have a Marauder's Map of London.

"Like I said, you don't get to make that decision for me. I get to choose where I live." She firmly repeated herself, hoping to end the conversation there.

"And you choose to live _here_?" Fred couldn't help but question out loud. Who on Earth would chose to live here? What were they teaching at those muggle high schools?

George hadn't said much else since their mutual decree. The twin kept his thoughts to himself as Fred argued with her about her choice of lodging. Not that his brother could hear him speak anyway (would have been hard with the bloke missing an ear anyhow). But he was hoping that George would come up with something to back him up regardless, instead he was just looking around the room.

Suddenly, George disapparated from them with a loud pop.


	61. Chapter 61

**Fred**

Kagome stared at the spot where George previously stood awestruck. This was the first time she'd ever seen anyone simply vanish before her eyes before. "He disappeared! I can't even sense him anymore. Where did he go?"

"I have no clue," Fred confessed with a sigh. He would like to think that his brother wasn't bailing on them, after all of the effort that the twat finally decided to put into hearing her out. It would be pretty odd that her apartment would be the final driving force for him to leave.

"What was that he did?" She asked curiously. She continued to look around the room for him as if he were still hidden there somewhere.

"Apparition," he supplied. "There are many ways that witches and wizards travel. You had the privilege of coming face to face with the Knight Bus the other day."

"I remember," she added with a wince. "Thought I was going to get run over."

"I wouldn't let that happen to you," Fred flashed her a boyish grin. Not now and not ever. "Then there is Floo Powder, which allows us to travel through an interconnected system of fireplaces." She quirked a brow at that one, but didn't say anything. "Of course, George and I prefer our broomsticks the most."

"Broomsticks?" Kagome repeated whilst attempting to stifle a laugh. "How predictable. I guess more than just wands from your culture was passed down through fables to ours."

"You should see us play Quidditch on them," Fred continued. "But that's for another time. The most dangerous but quickest way to travel is through apparition. It takes a lot of practice, and you have to get a license for it too. You have to have your destination pictured in your mind while keeping it clear. You can't be too careful or your body will end up splinched into two different places. Very painful."

Kagome flinched at the thought.


	62. Chapter 62

**George**

"Is there anything else we can do for you today, Mr. Weasley?" A Gringotts Wizarding Bank goblin asked politely. The goblin by the name of Bogrod has been working as a bank teller for years and was typically only fond of patrons that held vaults that were very well stocked. Before Fred and George opened the joke shop, most of the goblins didn't spare a second glance at the Weasley family.

George picked up the envelope that the goblin slid across the counter toward him. "Thank you, Bogrod. That's all for today."

As he walked toward the front door, George caught sight of his brother Bill walking out of his office to the side. His brother's face instantly lit up, and George mentally cursed his luck. As much as he loved his older brother, he really didn't care to be bothered right now. Bill had initially moved to England from Egypt in an attempt to be closer to the family during the Second Wizarding War. After the break in of the Lestrange vault, the curse breaker was needed to enhance security measures around the bank, (thank you Harry, Ron and Hermione), so they've kept him around a little longer instead of sending him back to Egypt.

The scar on Bill's face stood as a constant reminder of the war in the family, along with their missing member, Fred. But his elder brother was currently starting his life with his new bride Fleur and trying to leave the past behind. A smile slowly spread across Bill's face and he raced toward his brother. "George! It's good to see you out and about." Bill pulled him into a tight hug. "How are you faring?"

"Just fine," George responded curtly. "Unfortunately, I am in quite a bit of a hurry, so if you'll excuse me."


	63. Chapter 63

 

**George**

George tried to quickly walk past his brother, but the elder Weasley wasn't having any of it, and quickly blocked his path. "Come now, I haven't had a real conversation with you in months. Coincidentally enough, I seem to keep missing you at mum's mandatory Sunday dinners."

Mum's Sunday night dinners were difficult to attend. George tried many times not to even make an appearance, but the Weasley matriarch wouldn't have any of it. She even showed up at his flat one time and forced him to The Burrow for dinner. Begrudgingly, he sat through dinner itself and then speedily made his way back home. For each week following he would appear only at the beginning of the meal, and rushed off as soon as it was over. Family gatherings were painful without his twin and best friend, and he had refused to indulge in them just yet.

"Yes, the shop's been very busy. As you recall I've lost a co-owner, so the work load has doubled," George snapped. He didn't mean to come across as so harsh, but he had a certain ghost seeing priestess to attend to…

Bill was taken aback by his words, but chose not to comment on the matter. Most of the family tended to tip-toe around George's loss, especially since he had obviously (and for good reason) taken it the hardest. Bill, trying to steer the conversation else where, caught sight of the money envelope the younger brother held in his hand. "What in Merlin's beard are you doing with an envelope full of muggle currency? What's it called? The Pound?"

George softly cursed under his breath and rapidly placed the envelope inside his jacket. "My landlord takes Pounds."

"I thought your landlord was a witch." Bill quirked a brow, not buying what his brother was selling.


	64. Chapter 64

**George**

Why was his brother suddenly so interested in every little thing that he was doing? So George got an envelope full of Pounds that he had exchanged from Galleons. What was the big deal here?

"She prefers the Pounds since that's what she needs to pay the property taxes and utility bills." George replied nonchalantly. Truthfully, the witch didn't care how her tenants paid, as long as they were on time with said payment.

Bill let out a thoughtful hum, but seemed to accept the given answer without further interrogation. "Well, I suppose I won't keep you from your important work. Shall I actually see you tomorrow for dinner?"

"Yes," George answered, exasperated. "I'll see you and Fleur tomorrow evening."

Without another word, he walked passed his brother and straight out of the Gringotts Bank doors and onto the street. His thoughts shifted focus back to Kagome, and quickly returning to her to get this whole apartment thing figured out. He didn't have time to worry about anyone in the family's overbearing concern.

Clearing his mind he thought about her dingy flat. Closing his eyes, he allowed for the strong pull of his navel to guide him to exactly where he wanted to go. The world swirled around him as he was transported instantly away from Diagon Alley. Once his feet hit solid ground again, his eyes opened and was greeted by startled sapphire ones.

"You're back!" Kagome exclaimed. "Fred said that you did some traveling trick called apparition, but that he didn't know where you went."

"Fred would be correct," George acknowledged, while fishing for the envelope in his jacket pocket. Taking the small package in his hands, he quickly tossed it over to Kagome who caught it with ease. Opening it she widened her eyes at the large amount of Pounds and merely looked up at him in disbelief. "That should be enough to break your lease early."


	65. Chapter 65

**Fred**

Kagome and his faces were identical: an amalgamation of emotions that were hard to describe as just one. Confusion, shock, excitement, and happiness all swirled around in his head. Pride swelled in his chest in response to his brother's kind gesture. Getting the money from his Gringotts vault and exchanging it for Pounds? Genius.

"Look, I know this places isn't the nicest. But it works well enough for me," Kagome finally said, holding out the small envelope in an attempt to hand it back to George.

His brother held up his hand in rejection. "Unfortunately it doesn't work well enough for me. And I'm assuming it doesn't work well enough for Fred either, seeing as we generally hold the same opinion." Fred eagerly shook his head in agreement. "Besides, since you were robbed, how do you expect to pay for anything in the future?"

Kagome crossed her arms and let out a small huff in defeat. They had a point and she knew it. "So what do you propose I do then, huh? Live on the streets and work as a panhandler?"

Fred let out a soft chuckle. "Trust me darling, you don't have the look of a vagrant."

"If anything you'd be mistaken for an escort," George finished his thought for him. Even in death they still managed to work together as one.

"I am not a prostitute!" She defended in a shrill voice, turning red in anger and embarrassment.

"We know that," Forge agreed in unison.

George let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. He always did so when he was nervous. "Being at the shop the other day reminded me just how busy we get around the holidays. As you can see, I'm down a staff member…" George trailed in his thoughts.

Kagome blinked a few times, processing what was just said. Fred grinned when the light bulb suddenly went off in her head. With excitement in her eyes she blurted out, "Are you hiring me?!"


	66. Chapter 66

**Fred**

Fred anxiously awaited George's response. Was he hiring her to come work at the shop? That would be awesome yet extremely dangerous all at the same time. If the Ministry learned that they hired a muggle to work in the shop, that had absolutely no prior knowledge of magic and the public found out about it. Surely the Ministry would be forced to erase her memories of the wizarding world, of magic, of them…

Fred gulped at the thought.

No.

They wouldn't allow for anything to happen to her. Maybe they could pass her off as a squib. He'd heard of programs that helped squibs in the magical community find their place in society. But most squid were used as lookouts in the muggle community for wizards and witches under protection. Sort of like spies. Didn't Harry have one of those looking out for him on Privet Drive?

"Yes, I'm hiring you. But not as an employee of the shop. You'll be my assistant and a go between for Fred and myself so we can get back to work." George finally answered, interrupting his thoughts.

"That's a great idea!" Fred exclaimed, exhilarated at the thought of getting back to work. He'd been so bored these past six months, it'd be wonderful to get back to doing something more than floating around and eavesdropping on other people's conversations.

"What makes you two so certain that I'm sticking around London long enough to need employment?" Kagome put forward. "You're doing an awful lot of assuming."

"You're broke." They both reminded her, only causing her to turn away from them, her lips pursed together in petulance.

"Besides," George continued. "You'll need to make yourself somewhat useful since you'll be living with me… us… from now on."

Fred didn't think his grin could go any wider.


	67. Chapter 67

**George**

"Living… with you…?" Kagome repeated slowly trying to process what she was just told. He wasn't sure what wild thoughts were going through her head, but she instantly brought her hands up to her cheeks as they turned red. "I can't live with you! I just met you! And he's a pervert!" She pointed at the empty space to his left.

George felt the corners of his mouth start to tug into a smile. "Well, I'm sure you can just slap him over and over again until he gets the picture."

He didn't know what Fred said to her in response, but it only caused her to turn even more red and cross her arms. "Whatever." She grumbled, before reverting back to her native tongue and continuing to mutter under her breath.

George let her be before exploring the room some more. Glancing around the vicinity he noticed that there weren't any personal effects around the room at all. He felt her keen sapphire eyes following him as wandered aimlessly about. Slowly he made his way over to her bedside where the only noticeable belongings of hers, the ragged yellow backpack, rested on the floor. Bending down, he tried to quickly hoist the bag over his shoulder, but was surprised at how heavy it was. Letting out a grunt, he struggled to place it on his person. "Bloody Hell… what do you have in here?"

Kagome put a hand up to her mouth in an unconvincing attempt to hide an amused smirk. "Everything," she replied simply. "That's all I've ever traveled with for years. When you're constantly moving, you have to keep it light."

He gripped the strap of the bag and made his way across the room toward her. "Well then, let's turn your nomadic lifestyle into one that's a little more stationary."


	68. Chapter 68

**George**

"I still haven't agreed to move in with you yet," Kagome casually informed him as they walked back down to the leasing office of the building. "Don't think you've won just yet. Don't forget I slept in the woods for years."

George rolled his eyes as he struggled to shoulder her belongings. Supposedly 'everything' was in the yellow backpack, and he was starting to believe her. How in the world did she travel with this thing around Europe? Letting out a soft grunt, he shifted the belongings once again. "Yet here we are, still going to break your lease. Funny how that looks like you're moving out."

Kagome let out a snort and walked into the leasing office alone, envelope securely in hand. George waited patiently near the entrance and decided to place the monstrosity he was attempting to carry on the ground. Gingerly, he massaged his own neck to ease up the muscle tension he was already feeling from the damned accessory.

It was amazing to think that yesterday at this time he didn't know the enigma known as Kagome Higurashi. Now, the way they interacted with one another it was as if he'd known her for years, like they'd been friends at Hogwarts. But truth be told, she didn't know a thing about Hogwarts or magic at all. Truthfully he had her at a disadvantage now knowing most of her life history. All she knew of him was that he was a wizard with a dead brother and a magic joke shop.

He was startled when the door suddenly clicked shut and Kagome smiled at him curiously. Knowing that she caught him lost in thought, she chose not to say anything and instead lifted her bag off of the ground with ease and slung it over her shoulder. "Ready to leave?"

"Only if you're ready to live with me…. Show off."

She merely grinned and walked out the door.


	69. Chapter 69

**Fred**

Fred sniggered at the expression that his twin brother wore as Kagome sauntered off her own bookbag. Apparently 'everything' had been too much for him to handle, while Kagome picked it up without even the slightest bit of struggle. "I fear you may have threatened his masculinity," Fred commented as he traveled alongside the very much alive duo.

"He'll get over it," Kagome murmured just loud enough for the ghost to hear. "He's the one forcing me out of my flat."

"No human should live in such squalor," Fred argued. He for one was proud of his brother. This was the first thing the man had taken charge of since Fred's death. Hopefully this was going to be a grand turn around for George. No more depression, no more sleepless nights, and no more adversity. Granted, not a one of them knew what the future held for them. Would he be stuck as this wandering ghost communicating through a random muggle girl to all of his living friends and family for the rest of his…

For the rest of his what?

Life?

Fred laughed out loud nervously. It was amazing how a simple everyday expression could hurt so bad. What was he supposed to be doing? He was a ghost for crying out loud! Was this what happened to everyone when they died? Because he certainly didn't see any other paranormal figures floating about to interact with. Sure he had Kagome for now, but she was only human. What was he going to do when he lost her? The six months he experienced alone were torture enough. But for all of eternity? He'd go mental!

Kagome was watching him carefully while he was lost in his troublesome thoughts. "Is something wrong?" George asked after seeing her concerned expression.

"I think your brother may be having an existential crisis."


	70. Chapter 70

**Fred**

"Existential crisis…?" Fred echoed. He let out a nervous laugh not really knowing how to respond. "I don't really exist at all!" He was a ghost. An entity that only one lone muggle girl could miraculously see. Even his own twin brother thought she was looney. The only other person that might even believe he was floating around would be that Ravenclaw girl, Luna. His afterlife was doomed to consist of boredom and loneliness. What about that whole seeing the light thing? Was he going to 'pass over' into some form of heaven or hell? He was no longer connected to his body, would there come a time where he wouldn't be connected to his own consciousness?

If his heart was still beating it would be racing. He was dead right? So why did his chest feel so tight? Why did it feel as though he would be short of breath if he even dared to speak? Why was it that it felt like a million sets of eyes were bearing down on him, when in fact only one set could? Is this what a panic attack felt like?

He was pulled back to Earth quite literally, when he felt a small hand wrap around his own. It was no surprise to see Kagome smiling up at him with her tender blue eyes. Warmth spread from the tip of his fingers and up his arm to the very core of his being. It was truly relaxing, as if he was absorbing every ounce of tranquility her loving self had to offer.

She gingerly squeezed his hand and stopped walking, focusing every bit of her attention on him. The words that she offered next provided a little bit of hope for him and he felt his stress start to melt away slowly.

"You exist. We'll all figure something out together."


	71. Chapter 71

**Fred**

"Do you feel my hand on yours?" Kagome continued gently. "Do you feel the heat it exudes? Have you felt the pain it's inflicted on you just this morning? Did you not lift me off the ground and save me from being hit by a bus?"

Turning away from her in embarrassment, he nodded at her words and gripped her hand tighter. It was childish of him. He was acting ridiculous and surely she knew it. Despite her words, she must think of him as foolish. He had never really questioned his existence before Kagome came around. Before, no one could see or talk to him, so there was no doubt he was dead. Hell, he attended his own funeral.

Which was beautiful and extremely depressing, in case anyone was curious. Nothing like seeing just how loved you are once your life is over… (Not that he felt unloved in life or anything…)

But now that someone could see him… talk to him… touch him…. What did it all mean?

He was pulled out of his thoughts by her arms wrapping around him tightly and comforting. "I can feel you just as much as you can feel me," she whispered to him soothingly. "We exist on the same plane as one another. Do not doubt yourself."

It was commanding encouragement, and he genuinely was thankful for it. Wrapping his arms around her, he took a moment to bask in her warmth and in her light. Her brilliance was overwhelming. The strength that she had to offer him was exactly what he needed.

Although she appeared out of nowhere and turned his world upside down, he would give anything to keep her in it.

"And I don't plan on leaving you alone anytime soon."

His grip only tightened at her words.


	72. Chapter 72

**George**

He felt awkward and out of place. Existential crisis? Fred? After all of that hard work to prove he existed, his twin was starting to doubt himself? It hit him hard that his brother was suffering and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. He'd already suffered alone for the past six months. The both of them.

But along came Kagome.

George's eyes shifted to the raven haired foreigner who was awkwardly hugging the air and whispering sweet words to the wind. Passersbys stared curiously at her, even offering him an apologetic look that said, "So sorry your friend is looney, mate."

But he watched silently, disregarding their antics.

Honestly, her actions only confirmed she was _not_ mental in his book. No actor would go this far to prove their point, not that she had one to prove anymore. She was brilliant really. He couldn't see his brother, but he could see her. Her caring, her compassion, her love… It was all on full display for someone she just met yesterday.

While she may be a muggle, he had picked up on a sort of 'power' that she possessed. Sure she could create barriers and impressively bypass them as well. But it seemed that she was always successful in talking people down and relaxing them to an ataraxic state. Was it even possible to manipulate emotions like that?

Oh right… the WonderWitch love potions…

But she emitted it from her very being. No potions. No spells. Just pure natural ability. She mentioned during her tale that there was a theory that her soul was so large that it was able to sustain herself and that Kikyou person. What kind of effect did that have on her and her priestess powers? It sounded like her group didn't explore it further.

Something, that perhaps, he would have to do instead.


	73. Chapter 73

**George**

"Let's go home," Kagome finally said pulling away from his brother's ghost. She smiled at both of them before adjusting her hold on her yellow back pack.

"The first thing I'm going to do is buy you a new one of those," George commented indicating the old accessory.

Kagome frowned. "But this one works just fine. It's my favorite."

"It's your only one," he corrected.

"So what's the plan for the rest of the day then?" She asked nonchalantly, attempting to change the subject. "After all, I'm now at your beck and call."

"Beck and call?" George repeated, quirking a brow. "I don't know about all that now. You'll merely work for me and live with me, and most likely travel with me…"

"We'll only be together all the time," Kagome said jokingly. "Room mate, assistant, ghostly translator… I'm taking on a lot of new titles here."

Along with priestess, time traveller, archer, kind-hearted, patient... Hell, he could probably come up with a list of adjectives long enough to fill an entire roll of parchment. He had been wrong about her last night. Typically he and his brother were good judges of character. Coming from the Gryffindor house, they tended to be quick judges of character too. But in this instance, Fred had been right and he had been wrong.

Something he was starting to regret.

He had pushed her away constantly, not wanting to give her the time of day. Miraculously she was resilient and refused to take no for an answer. How had he made it up to her? By almost getting her killed by the Knight Bus.

"Hey!" Kagome shouted, pulling him from thought. She was a few feet ahead of him and smiling excitedly. "Stop making that serious face and hurry up!"

With a smirk, he picked up his pace. It was time to leave the past in the past and to focus on how he could make it up to her in the future.


	74. Chapter 74

**Fred**

Fred remained quiet the rest of the trek home. Although slightly embarrassed, he was more interested in watching his brother interact with their exotic new soon to be houseguest. While as a ghost he literally needed her to communicate with his brother and the living world, George needed her in a different way.

The idiot had refused to open up to anyone. Not even family. So the fact that he was finally able to be pulled out of this depressed stupor by this mystery woman, Fred was ecstatic. Granted, she had to start by absolutely pissing the bugger off first. But no matter, they were one big happy family now.

Sort of.

"So," Kagome started as they walked through the front door. "Where am I staying?"

George shrugged. "I guess you get to take Fred's room for now."

Fred frowned. "Where am I supposed to sleep?" Although, he couldn't really remember if he slept or not being dead. There were definitely nights that he felt more rested than others, but time was passing in a blur since there wasn't much he was able to do this past half year. So to be honest, he wasn't quite sure himself if he was able to slumber.

"Can you even actually lay on the bed? Don't you just sort of phase right through it?" She asked honestly and curiously.

"Rude," Fred curtly responded. "Technically I hover extremely close to the top of it." At least he could pretend to be sleeping on the bed even if he actually wasn't.

Kagome rolled her eyes and walked down the hallway toward the bed chambers. "Since you both are forcing me to move in with you, I get my own room. A lady does need her privacy after all," She called back behind her. "I'll just assume the dusty one is yours."


	75. Chapter 75

**Fred**

"I'll just assume the dusty one is yours," Fred mocked in a high-pitched girlish voice before shouting back, "I'm sorry I couldn't get around to making the room pristine for you. It seemed I just phased right through everything!"

"You're only proving my point!" Kagome responded in a sing song voice as she shook off the bed spread and fluffed the pillows. Dust clouded the room as she worked to get it ready for her own move in and she let out a dainty cough. "If I'm truly hurting your feelings, I can stop."

"It's fine," Fred grumbled out, pursing his lips petulantly. He floated crosslegged midair with his arms folded against his chest in a huff. Who cares if he was acting childish. He'd lost his room. The first time he ever had his own room in his life was when he and George moved in to this flat together. Even when their older brothers moved out in The Burrow, the twins stayed together in their room on the second floor.

Initially the twins lived above the shop in a one bedroom flat, but quickly moved to a flat in London during the Second Wizarding War, in a feeble attempt to protect the shop from Death Eaters and Voldemort's army. Now the little flat above Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes acted as a small break room for the employees.

Not that he had been able to spend that much time in any of his rooms these past few years. With the success of the store and the war, he felt like they were always either working or in meetings of The Order of the Phoenix. It was a nonstop maelstrom of action ever since Voldemort's return. Not once did the Weasley twins get to have a moment to themselves, but instead aided the war cause and Harry's destiny to bring down Voldemort.

But what about _his_ destiny. So far it seemed the redhead was merely fated to be crushed by a wall... and to lose his bedroom to a girl they met yesterday.


	76. Chapter 76

**George**

George leaned against the doorframe leading into what used to be his twin brother's room, listening to Kagome banter back and forth with the air. While she spoke, she moved around her new living space cleaning it carefully and taking it all in. Once she felt satisfied with the cleanliness of the room, she took her backpack and gently placed it on the floor next to Fred's dresser.

"We can empty out the dresser so that you can put your things inside it. I'm sure I can move some things around and make room in my closet or in the linen closet," George offered. He didn't want her to feel cramped in her own room or not welcomed.

"That's okay," Kagome smiled. "Besides, I'm just borrowing his room while he can't use it."

Borrowing it? He wasn't sure what knowledge a muggle like her would know that he didn't on getting his brother back, but honestly he wasn't holding his breath. For now he was just happy to be able to 'converse' with his twin. That was enough hope for him for now. And that small bit of hope was all he really needed. If he got too hopeful, his world may come crashing down all over again.

"Well, what's he going to do with all these clothes and belongings anyway?" George queried, attempting to raise a valid point. She said it herself that the ghost simply phased through everything. "It's not like he can change clothes. Actually, is he clothed now? Is he floating around here naked?"

Kagome threw back her head and let out a laugh. "Of course he is clothed! I'm assuming he is wearing what he died in. It must have been quite some battle, there's little tears in that green over shirt of his…. and lots of dirt smeared on his jeans and shirt."

She had no idea.


	77. Chapter 77

**George**

"So is it story time for me tonight?" Kagome inquired excitedly. Her face showed her eagerness to discover more about them. "Since we stayed up last night listening to my tale, do I get to learn about you wizards tonight?"

She must have been reading his mind. It probably was her turn to learn about him and his brother. Especially since the last thing he needed was to take her to the shop and have absolutely no clue what was going on around her. Scratch that. The last thing he actually needed was for the Ministry of Magic to find out he had employed a muggle with no magical lineage or previous knowledge of the wizarding world. He didn't know what the actual repercussions of his actions would be, but he would like to avoid them if possible.

"Let's take it slow shall we?" George offered, directing over to the bed in the corner where they both sat on the edge. "The Weasleys are one of the few remaining pure-blood families in our world." He watched as her nose crinkled in irritation at the word 'pure-blood'. Honestly, he didn't blame her. In most societies anyone using the term 'pure-blood' turned out to be quite condescending and arrogant. "We're also one of the few that regularly associates with muggles and muggle-borns," he clarified as he watched her face go back to normal. "Our family home resides in Devon, England outside of Ottery St. Catchpole." He was about to continue when he heard her snigger. Quirking a brow he asked, "What's so funny?"

"Sorry!" She blurted out, face turning slightly red. "Your brother said you guys refer to your home as 'The Burrow'. How cute! Like little badgers!"

If she was laughing at the term 'Burrow', this was going to be a long conversation...


	78. Chapter 78

**Fred**

Fred let out a chuckle at Kagome's excitement and his brother's already exasperated expression. "That's where you're wrong, love. George and I are not badgers, but prideful lions."

"Prideful lions?" Kagome echoed. George let out a sigh and Fred remained silent, allowing his brother to explain.

"We attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All students receive their acceptance letters by the age of eleven. Once they arrive to the school, all first-year students are sorted into one of four houses based on traits that the individual value. Our house, represented by the lion, was Gryffindor. Students of Gryffindor typically exemplify courage, bravery, and are extremely daring."

"It's the best house to be sorted into," Fred added smugly. "Every Weasley in our family was sorted into Gryffindor." Kagome rolled her eyes as George continued.

"The Slytherin house is accurately represented by the snake." George said with a hint of disgust in his voice. "Supposedly their students value resourcefulness, cunningness, and ambition. Most purebloods are sorted into this house and regard self-preservation of the utmost importance. Next is the Ravenclaw house, represented by the eagle, who prize learning, intelligence and wit above all else. Hufflepuff house, represented by the badger, value equality, loyalty, and hard work."

"See?" Fred pipped. "Not badgers."

"I think the badgers sound lovely," Kagome countered. "I think I'd probably end up in Hufflepuff house."

Fred let out a snort. Not that there was anything wrong with Hufflepuff students, but based on her adventures in the past, she easily could have dominated Gryffindor house. Probably would have been a sick Quidditch player too. But the Sorting Hat and the sorting ceremony were definitely by far from perfect. What George said was correct, a student is sorted based on traits that the individual values, not necessarily what traits the individual himself portrays.

Kagome, however, seems to embody all of the Hogwarts house traits.


	79. Chapter 79

**Fred**

"Wait!" Kagome leaned forward toward George. "You said that you guys got your letter by the age of eleven. What did you do before that? Just play around?"

"Of course not!" Both boys argued at the same time.

"Mum taught us our basics at home," George started. "But some wizarding families send their children to muggle primary school."

"Reading, penmanship, basic math…" Fred clarified. He could still remember their lessons at the Weasley dining table in the kitchen on the ground floor of The Burrow. Of course every wizard child's favorite story to hear was that of _The Tale of The Three Brothers_. Granted, a little more recently they got more involved with the Deathly Hallows than they would have liked to. But no matter…. "You didn't think we showed up to school illiterate did you?"

Kagome simply shrugged. "I don't know what to expect. Technically your wizarding world is an entirely different culture to me. Just like Japan would be a different culture for you."

She had a point. Sure the Weasley family had gone on some extravagant trips… like the one to Egypt or whenever they would go visit Charlie in Romania. But they typically always interacted with other witches and wizards. Their father had always been more interested in the muggle side of things. After meeting Kagome he really wished he had paid more attention to his father's ramblings about muggles and the things they did and liked.

"So what classes would you take when you got to Hogwarts then? Is there just one giant spell casters class that you all attend with different levels? Are there a lot of students? Were the classes fun? Were the teachers nice?" Kagome asked inching closer to the edge of the bed in excitement.

Oi, where was Hermione when you needed her?


	80. Chapter 80

**George**

Her eyes were dancing with anticipation as they stared at him eagerly, waiting to absorb any more information he was willing to offer her. No doubt she would hit it off perfectly with Hermione. Hell, the "brightest witch of their time" would probably commandeer the poor priestess for days trying to cram as much information as possible into her head about, well, everything. (Although he wasn't too sure how bright she could actually be if she was marrying little Ronniekins).

"Slow down," George chuckled. "I'm sure we will answer all of your questions over time. Hogwarts was like a private school of sorts. It's not the only one though. There are eleven schools all over the world that teach magic. Typically students go to the school that is closest to their home. I really don't have much information on most of the schools, so I can really only tell you about Hogwarts."

Kagome rapidly nodded her head. Little did she know it would be impossible to go over everything at once. It would take years to go over every little aspect of magic. Hell, he and his brother hadn't even bothered to finish their schooling by dropping out in their last year in favor of creating Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. While it would be entertaining to show her the magic that they knew, it wouldn't be as fun without her learning it in the process

However, he had to admit that it was hard to believe that she was not a witch with the little bit of wandless 'magic' he had witnessed from her. The pink protective shield that she was able to create… walking through barriers without a problem… and of course, being able to talk to his deceased brother topped the list.

Perhaps there was more untapped magic hidden within their new roommate.


	81. Chapter 81

**George**

It was starting to get late in the afternoon, but it looked like Kagome's curiosity wasn't going to be satisfied anytime soon. Before he could start telling her about the core and extra curricular courses that Hogwarts had to offer, a low grumbling drew his attention to the girl sitting across from him on the bed. "I take it you're hungry then?" He casually said with a smile.

Her face instantly turned red. Curling into a ball she fell on her side and buried her face in the sheets. "So embarrassing!" Her voice cried out into the linen. Rapidly clutching for the closest blanket, she quickly enveloped herself in the covers to hide from the Weasley twin's eyes. He didn't know what Fred said to her, but a muffled, "Shut up!" sounded from beneath the covering.

Honestly, he was feeling pretty famished himself. He couldn't recall the last time he ate, and if his theory was correct the last meal she had was the one he paid for at The Leaky Cauldron. Letting out a chuckle he lifted the edge of the blanket where her head should be. She peered up at him with wide eyes and still flush in the face. "Come on then, little turtle. Let's get some food. I'm sure there is something in the kitchen we can whip together as a meal."

"I can cook!" Kagome threw the blanket off of her and beamed at him proudly. "Permission to use the kitchen, sir?" She asked imitating the stance of a soldier. When he nodded at her, she instantly raced from the room to their small kitchen.

"Well this should be interesting," George mused aloud. He was certain Fred was agreeing with him. Running a hand through his hair, he made his way toward the sitting room, listening to the clanking of pots and pans behind him in the kitchen. Just as he was about to sit on the couch, a rapid knocking resonated throughout the house from the front door.

Who could that be?


	82. Chapter 82

**Fred**

The twin brothers instantly stopped in their tracks and stared toward the doorway leading down stairs to the entrance. He couldn't recall the last time George had any visitors (besides Kagome the other night). Even the landlady handled everything like rent collection and messages through owls. Thoughts raced through his head, trying to go through a list of possible people that could be standing on the other side of the door.

George was doing the same thing. He could tell based on his brother's facial expression. Both boys threw a glance toward their new roommate. She was so focused on her cooking that she hadn't paid one bit of attention toward the now frantic knocking coming from outside. Slowly, George made his way down the steps and mumbled, "I really wish that I could see you brother. I'd love to know who's going to be waiting on the other side of that door."

"I wish I could help you," Fred responded, face unchanged from worry. Although he had the capability of taking a sneak peak by phasing through the wall, he was too nervous to do so. He couldn't imagine any reason for any family members to need to pop by for a visit. Besides, surely they would just arrive by Floo Powder or send an owl first. But with the family dinner being tomorrow, it was highly unlikely that any of them would be showing up today. That narrowed the list of prospects significantly. In fact, they could probably count the number of people that actually knew where they lived on one hand. If they were lucky it would just end up being some muggle solicitor trying to sell something.

But what if it wasn't? What if it was someone in the Ministry that had already found out about Kagome? They absolutely couldn't let anything happen to her.

He froze in anticipation as George took a deep breath and opened the door.


	83. Chapter 83

**Fred**

When the door opened, their eyes widened in surprise. Standing there was the first and most loyal employee of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Her blonde hair was a mess and the bags under her eyes indicated that she was extremely exhausted. The magenta uniform robe she wore was wrinkled and dismantled, hanging loosely around her shoulders. He could only imagine the looks that the muggles gave her as she walked down the street toward their house. Unless she merely apparated there to save time.

"Verity?" They both said out loud in unison, however, only one was heard. George ushered her into the foyer and shut the door behind her. Letting out a sigh, she leaned back against the door she just came through, as if completely spent for the day. "What brings you by?"

"Mr. Weasley, I hope you don't find it to forward of me, but I don't know how much longer your brother and I can run the shop alone," she stated confidently. "Ron and I are going insane. It's the holidays so we've been slam packed every single day. It's difficult for us to try and stock everything, keep up production, and run sales with just the two of us-"

"Verity," George interrupted her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Take a deep breath." She immediately shut her mouth and complied with his request. "I know you've been working hard. I've decided it's time for me to come back to work. I've even hired some help."

Verity's eyes lit up with happiness and she clapped her hands together in front of her face. "Oh thank you, sir! I know Ron and I will appreciate…" She slowly stopped talking, distracted by something that caught her eye at the top of the stairs. Fred and George both turned around to see nothing out of the ordinary. Then, very quickly Kagome crossed the room, making a brief appearance through the doorframe at the top of the stairs, not paying one bit of attention to the twins and their surprise visitor. "I'm so sorry to interrupt you! I didn't realize you had _company_!" The witch whispered, corners of her lips tugging into that of a devious smile.

George flushed at the way Verity said the word company, which only caused Fred to start laughing. He could only imagine what was going through the sales associate's head. Especially since she worked so closely with Ron, who knew nothing about Kagome what so ever. Meaning that the Weasley family knew that George was not dating anyone, and as far as they knew, was living very much alone. Then along comes Verity who sees the exotic Miss Higurashi walking about and no doubt assumed there was a call girl in the house. George merely gaped at their associate, at a loss for words, which only made Fred laugh that much harder.

"Hey, what's so funny…" Kagome trailed, peeking around the corner and making eye contact with Verity. The priestess instantly shut her mouth, realizing her mistake as Fred continued to laugh at the sheer awkwardness occurring in the room right now. "Sorry," she instantly corrected, while making her way downstairs. "I thought I heard laughing. Hello!"

Verity was slightly taken aback by Kagome's bright smile and friendly attitude. "Hullo," she responded warily. "I apologize for interrupting your time with George."

Fred once again found himself trying to stifle his laughter, as Kagome quirked her brow in confusion and George pinched the bridge of his nose. "Verity here thinks you're an escort, if you catch what I mean," he clarified.

Kagome's countenance shifted to that of absolute horror. "I am not a hooker!" She immediately blurted out.

"Thank you, Fred," George murmured sarcastically, just loud enough for the ghost to hear. Clearing his throat, George focused his attention back to their visitor. "Verity… Kagome here is going to be my new assistant from now on. She'll be helping us at the shop on a daily basis."

Verity blinked, taking in the new information provided by her boss. "Sorry about the assumption, Ms. Kagome," she finally responded offering her hand.

"Please, just call me Kagome," she insisted happily, while taking the shop assistant's hand in her own. "But please, I am sorry I interrupted your conversation with George."

"No worries," George assured. "I think Verity got what she came here for. But now that I think about it, I am curious of one thing. Did you leave my brother to run the store alone while you came here?"

"Well," Verity started nervously, fumbling with the edge of her robes.. "You see, the thing is… I actually currently have the shop evacuated and closed. Someone managed to set off an entire box of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, and I was afraid of people stealing so we ushered them all out."

The twins gaped at Verity, who now stood silent at the door. An entire box of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder? It was designed to be impenetrable to light, perfect for the act of sneaking about. Granted, it quickly backfired on them when it was first developed when Draco Malfoy used it to help sneak Death Eaters through Hogwarts. Thankfully the war was now over, and it could go back to being used by pranksters like the creators themselves.

But now their shop was consumed by an entire box of the stuff. It would take days for the effects to dissipate and clear out. Days of lost profit. Days of not being able to navigate their own store. Granted, Fred would just pass through everything anyway… But that was beside the point.

George looked as pale as what Fred imagined he looked like on a daily basis now that he was dead. Then there was Kagome, looking as confused as ever, who chimed in, "Well, let's go fix it then."

All three of them just stared at her. "Your muggle is showing…" Fred remarked dryly, which only caused her to cross her arms and let out a pout.

"You're wizards remember!" Kagome argued. "Together we can fix this mess!"

Too bad she had no idea how big the mess really was.


	84. Chapter 84

**George**

Oh dear sweet ignorant Kagome.

He decided to ignore her comment in favor of thinking of an actual plan. The twins hadn't developed a way to navigate through the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. Neither of them had anticipated it being used against them, let alone in their own shop. Although, they should have prepared for any accidental explosions, goodness knows they happened at The Burrow more often than he cared to admit.

"Well, we won't solve anything here," Verity remarked before disapparating out of the foyer with a pop.

Kagome's eyes instantly went wide. "That's that one method of transportation you did when you disappeared from my old apartment," she awed. "What had you called it Fred? Apparition?"

"Yes," George answered for his brother. "It's also going to be the fastest way to get to Diagon Alley at this point. Think you're up for trying a little side along apparition?"

She widened her eyes and nodded rapidly. She actually seemed excited to give it a try. Probably more so than he was. In fact, he was extremely hesitant to give it a go. Even he and Fred would apparate separately for the safest experience possible. Besides, she was a muggle! He couldn't exactly take her to St. Mungo's Hospital should she end up splinched.

"Well then, shall we?" George offered her his right hand, which she quickly accepted with her left. Her hand was warm, and small, fingers fitting almost a little too perfectly between the spaces of his own. He wasn't surprised when she turned to the air and offered her own right hand to Fred, which he assumed he took based on the awkward shape her palm now took. It would be interesting to see if all three of them would make it.

George closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Time for the hard part.


	85. Chapter 85

**George**

_Remember the three Ds,_ George thought to himself, recalling the words that the Ministry of Magic Apparition Instructor said. He could still hear her voice almost perfectly in her head stating, "One must be completely _determined_ to reach one's _destination_ and move without haste, but with _deliberation_."

Unconsciously he grasped Kagome's small hand a little tighter, as he pictured the front of his shop perfectly in his mind. He refused to lose her during this experiment, and he was determined to make sure they all made it in one piece. He held his breath in anticipation. Then, everything went black as it felt like the entirety of his body was being compressed from all directions. As though he was being wrapped tightly by unbreakable bands and like his eyes were sinking backward into his skull. Just as it seemed his body might explode from the pressure, he felt his feet touch the ground, reaching their destination and landing across the street from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

When he landed he immediately looked to his right to see Kagome arrive in one piece next to him. Looking a little pale, her knuckles on both hands were practically white from clutching the twins' so securely. She gasped for air as if she hadn't breathed in hours, her eyes wide and watering. Good news is she hadn't vomited like most first-timers often do.

"Are you alright?" He murmured concerned for her current state of being.

"Never better," she choked out sarcastically, sending him a weak smile. "I can't believe we all made it. I thought for sure I was going to lose you guys at some point."

"About time you guys got here," Verity called out from the front door of the store. "Ron's inside futilely attempting to create light in the store."


	86. Chapter 86

**Fred**

Releasing each of the brother's hands, Kagome was the first one to try and make her way toward the joke shop. But the moment she lifted her foot to move forward, she instantly lost her sense of balance and wavered forward. Swiftly, he and George both reached forward to stabilize her. Apparently the apparition was still affecting her.

"Thanks," She muttered, glancing between the two of them. "I'll be alright, I promise. Now let's go brighten up your store."

Straightening up, Kagome confidently and steadily made her way to the entrance to join Verity. George and Fred trailed after her slowly, taking in what was happening around them. The windows to the shop were completely blacked out. No surprise there. A small crowd of shoppers were gathered together waiting to see if the store was going to reopen for the day. Fred caught sight of Lee Jordan, their closest classmate from Hogwarts, and former commentator of Quidditch and Potterwatch. He was always the most supportive of their friends when the twins started telling others of their joke shop dream. Lee took one glance at George and immediately nudged some of the wizards surrounding him, whispering about their friends return.

"Have I really been withdrawn for that long?" George quietly questioned, trying to ignore the incredulous stares coming from their former school mates.

"Practically a hermit, mate," Fred responded, wishing that his brother actually could hear him. It was good that he was out in the public eye again. If word got out far enough they might actually get even more business just from the rare spectacle in itself.

Verity opened the door to the store. "Ron! Your brother's here!" She shouted inside to the darkness.

"Which one?" He called back, voice a little shaky.

Both Fred and George rolled their eyes.


	87. Chapter 87

**Fred**

"The one you work for," George answered dryly, earning a muffled laugh from the girls. "I'm coming in after you. Stay put."

Ron wasn't exactly the bravest of the Weasley brothers, despite his adventures with Harry and Hermione as well as his Gryffindor status. He wasn't the brightest of the Weasley siblings either. Honestly, it wouldn't come as a surprise if it had been Ron that accidently set off the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder causing this mess in the first place.

George disappeared into the darkness, quickly followed by Kagome, wary but determined to be of some assistance. Verity stood in the doorway keeping the door propped open. She was acting as a guard of sorts for the store as well as hoping the impenetrable substance would slowly filter out of the shop and into the alleyway to dissipate. But once the powder is initially set off, it remains stagnant in the area that it was released in.

Fred passed through the entrance to join his comrades, but like them, was met by nothing but darkness. He held up his hand and couldn't even see it in front of his face, even knowing it was mere inches away. He frowned. This was going to be quite the mess to clean up.

He decided to try and make his way to find his brother, Ron. If he found the younger Weasley, he could at least let Kagome know where they were and get him out of this mess. Slowly, he made his toward the balcony that overlooked the shop and led to the breakroom. Seemed like the most likely place Ron would run off to.

But as he floated forward, his feet hit against something on the ground, ultimately 'tripping' him midair. Quickly straightening himself up, he furrowed his brow in frustration. He was a ghost, so he should just be passing through everything he encountered. There was only one person that had the capability of literally stopping him in his tracks.

"Kagome?"


	88. Chapter 88

**George**

Merlin's beard it was dark. He had never regretted one of his own products before today, and he wouldn't be surprised if Fred was thinking along the same lines. In the distance he could hear Ron whimpering out, " _lumos_ " in an ineffective attempt to lighten the room. Twit never was one for reading instructions… or much of anything really. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if it was the former prefect that managed to set the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder off to begin with.

George kept his hands outstretched as he fumbled around the shop. The first thing he needed to do was get Ronniekins out of the store so that he could actually focus on a solution to this problem. Then, while the associates guard the entrance to the store-

"Oomph," George felt his feet collide with something large on the ground and he lost his own footing. It was only seconds later that he was face first on the cold hardwood floor. "Bloody Hell…"

Just when he was about to curse whatever object literally brought about his downfall, he paused at the sound of soft whimpering. What was making that sound? It was softer than the small noises the Puffskeins make, meaning it sounded cuter and more heart wrenching to hear.

Picking himself up off of the ground, he knelt on his knees, listening intently for exactly where the sound was coming from. Slowly he reached out his left hand, steadying himself with the right. In the darkness his fingers intertwined with silken tresses. Maintaining his balance on his feet, he reached out his right hand and met with soft skin.

"Fred?" Her familiar voice choked out. A warm tear fell against his right hand as she leaned into it in comfort. "George?"

"Kagome…?"

But why was she crying?


	89. Chapter 89

**George**

"It's happening again…" Kagome whispered out between muffled cries. "I don't want to be trapped. I don't want to lose everyone again…"

George's heart only wrenched that much more. Her story quickly came back to him. The Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder must of have triggered her memory of being confined inside the Jewel of Four Souls. The loneliness and fear she experienced inside that damned bauble still haunted her, and it showed in the vulnerability before him.

But even worse was what she experienced as soon as she was free. She was hastily ripped away from her companions, a group of individuals that quickly developed into a makeshift family, along with the magic and adventure that came with her years of time traveling. Nobody in this time can relate to her experiences. The closest she could get to magic again would have to be through the wizarding world.

Wrapping his arms around her small, quivering form, he gently stroked her hair. "You're safe, Kagome. You're not in the jewel," he soothed softly. "I… We're not leaving you behind." Scratch finding Ron. He needed to get her out of here and fast. Risking her sanity was not an option, nor would it ever be. She needed them as much as they needed her.

"I don't want to be trapped…" she repeated, voice barely above a whisper.

"And you won't be. You have to trust us." He needed to get her off the ground. They needed to move. He wondered if Fred could see more than him right now.

"I won't be…" she echoed before suddenly burying her face into his chest, nearly knocking him over. One of her hands gripped the back of his shirt, his own hold on her tightening in response. "I won't be!"

Then, unexpectedly, he was blinded by a bright light.


	90. Chapter 90

**Fred**

In a strange way Fred could understand Kagome's anxiety and fear. The possibility of not talking to another human again while comprehending your own existence in another state of being is something that Fred could more than relate too. Especially since he was still living it. He had Kagome to thank for saving his own sanity.

That's why they needed to save hers.

George no doubt felt the same way. His brother would surely do anything to avoid the loneliness he experienced the last six months. Granted, the twat isolated himself off from the rest of the world believing they wouldn't understand. But Kagome did the exact same thing. The only difference between the two was that she was determined to find someone who did understand. Her answer came in the form a pair of twin wizards she encountered at a pub in London.

She was holding the both of them tightly, muttering on about not feeling trapped again, when an explosion of light erupted from her. The sensation was strange, like a wave reverberating through him. Normally when he traveled through items he wasn't able to feel anything. As it passed around him it felt... cleansing…? Honestly it was the best description for the occurrence. It started out strictly in a bubble around them, almost like a spotlight was focused on the trio huddled together in the darkness.

Then, in the blink of an eye, it exploded outward, pulsing through the room and destroying the darkness in waves. The powder was instantly disintegrated as if it had never been set off in the first place, making the shop visible again. The transition in lighting had the twins temporarily blinded and they quickly closed their eyes to help with the adjustment.

In the meantime, Fred felt Kagome's grip on him loosen and her body slump against his own.


	91. Chapter 91

**Fred**

His eyes snapped open and took in the now passed out form of Kagome against his own. Her cheeks were still wet with trails of tears and she looked extremely pale. Next he looked around the shop. Honestly, it was a complete mess. Items were strewn from the shelves no doubt from individuals that hurriedly fumbled about the shop while trying to escape the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. The miniature puffskeins ran all about the floor in panic and confusion, letting out tiny cries for help. The WonderWitch section was littered with broken bottles.

Ron was crouched down exactly where Fred thought he would be: on the balcony overlooking the store. He could see his brother between the gated railing, alternating between rubbing his eyes and blinking rapidly to adjust to the sudden change in brightness. His magenta employee robes were ripped and stained with various potions from the commotion.

But amazingly enough, not a bit of the darkness powder was anywhere to be seen. Her little outburst hadn't merely pushed it all to the edges of the store, but completely purified it out of existence. Fred and his brother had spent weeks trying to develop something that could cut through the stuff in case a scenario just like this happened, but had been unsuccessful. Then along comes a this little muggle without a wand but still with supernatural capabilities that can do it without a hitch.

Fred shook his head in disbelief.

His gaze drifted back towards said little muggle, where a Pygmy Puff was trying to climb up into her lap. "Better get her off the floor then," he mumbled aloud to himself while dipping his hands under the floor and bringing them back up so that his arms lifted her bridal style into the air, the little puffskein tumbling off of her in the process.


	92. Chapter 92

**George**

Damn it was bright all of a sudden. He hadn't expected her powers to simply erupt like that around them in response to her fears. Not that he blamed her. Generally adrenaline kicks in at the most crucial of moments such as this one: when feeling threatened.

George groaned as he looked around the shop. It was an absolute disaster and he was ready to strangle whoever managed to set off the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. There were so many items that had been destroyed on the ground, he already quit trying to add up the numbers in his head of lost product.

Suddenly, Kagome started to hover above the ground and slowly rise into the air. Panicked, George quickly put his own arms under the resting girl to carry her bridal style. Had his brother gone mental in that afterlife of his? Kagome was passed out and he didn't have his wand drawn. "You can't just go picking her up like that," George seethed to the air. "People will start to think she's possessed or something." They were supposed to be subtly integrating her into wizarding society. If she started going around floating without a wand and drawing too much attention to herself, others would be more likely to discover that she isn't in fact a witch.

"George!" Ron's shocked voice sounded from above them on the balcony. His brother actually looked happy to see him as he rushed down the steps and joined him on the ground floor. "I can't believe it. You actually came!"

"It is my shop," George reminded dryly. "Besides, Verity said you guys needed help."

"Verity?" Ron repeated a tad bit surprised. "She went to your house?" Ron's eyes slowly traveled down to the girl that was resting in George's arms, finally taking notice of her presence.


	93. Chapter 93

**George**

"You have a girl in your arms." Ron stated bluntly, a hint of surprise in his voice. He plainly stared at Kagome who was still passed out from the exhaustion of purifying every ounce of darkness powder from the store.

Ron was clearly a modern day Sherlock Holmes. Had to be with those amazing observational skills of his. George couldn't even shake the sarcasm of his inner voice and had to hold back a snigger. "That I do Ronniekins. That I do."

The younger brother blinked in confusion. "Is she okay? What happened to her? Did she get hurt during the accident?" Ron's voice was starting to tremble. It was starting to sound guilty.

George frowned. "And what caused the accident, hm? How did _that_ much Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder get set off inside my shop to begin with?"

Ron turned away in shame, only verifying the suspicions that he had the moment he walked back into his shop today. "I was stocking the boxes… and someone bumped into me…"

"It's okay," George interrupted. "I should have been here to help. I shouldn't have been away this long at all." He had been selfish. Ron lost a brother that day too, and yet here he was working in the shop just to help him. It was time to make a change, and with the help of Kagome, it was going to be smoother than ever to get back into the swing of things. "I'll be around from here on out."

"Thank Merlin," Ron muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know how much more Verity and I could have been able to handle on our own. Especially with Christmas coming up."

"Like I said, you're going to have plenty of help from here on out," George sent his brother a reassuring smile.

Suddenly, the priestess in his arms started to stir.


	94. Chapter 94

**George**

Kagome let out a groan as her eyes fluttered open. She still looked tired, but slowly started to take in her surroundings, registering what exactly happened in the past ten minutes or so. George watched her silently for a moment before softly saying, "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty."

Her blue eyes widened before glancing up and locking with his brown ones. "George!" She exclaimed surprised before starting to squirm in his hold, a light blush developing on her cheeks. "Where's your brother?!" The look of worry consumed her face as she shifted her position to try and look behind him.

" _Ron_ is just fine," George emphasized his younger brother's name firmly, hoping that she would catch on that they were currently not alone together.

"Wait, so who is she?" Ron interjected.

Kagome's blush only darkened, realizing now that they had company. "Put me down! Put me down!" She squealed, trying to make her feet touch the ground. George simply rolled his eyes and acquiesced to her request. Turning around, she quickly found herself face to face with the younger Weasley, and daintily bowed in greeting. "I'm Kagome Higurashi! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Flustered, Ron quickly followed the girls example and bowed in response. "Ron Weasley! Pleasure!" Kagome tried to suppress a giggle at his actions, but failed, causing the poor boy to turn red in embarrassment. "I'm sorry for getting you caught up in my mess… Although, I'm not quite sure how it got cleaned up so quickly…" He looked around, puzzled looking for any remaining ounce of the darkness powder.

Kagome turned to look at George, not wanting to say anything out of line or blow her identity. He smiled at her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Kagome here is going to be my new assistant from now on."


	95. Chapter 95

**Fred**

" _She's_ going to be _your_ new assistant?" Ron questioned, mouth slightly agape. He didn't sound sleighted or offended by any means, merely surprised at the announcement. That's when Fred realized they had apparated to the shop without grabbing any coats. Meaning, she was still wearing her short skirt and tights, along with the tight long sleeve shirt she donned from the day before not having the chance to change after their meeting.

Fred took in his younger brother's slightly flustered appearance and frowned. Wasn't Ronniekins supposed to be courting Hermione? He didn't need to be eyeing other girls by any means. Kagome seemed not to notice the boy's ogling or at least didn't pay any attention to it.

The slamming of the door behind them caused the four of them to turn around. Verity stood in the doorway, looking around in amazement. "I don't know what spell you used to get rid of this, but I'm impressed. Every little bit of the stuff is gone," she said looking toward George, who neither confirmed nor denied whether or not he was the one to dissipate the Peruvian Darkness Powder or not. "Here I was hoping we'd finally get a day off, eh Ron?" She tossed a hopeful glance over to George, who merely rolled his eyes in response.

"Clearly we need to clean up this shop, and then we can talk about taking the rest of the day off," George remarked but finished off by throwing a wink Verity's way. "But first, I'm starving. We should get some food."

Kagome's eyes suddenly went wide, and her right hand shot up to cover her mouth in horror. "What's wrong?" Fred prodded, wondering what suddenly had the priestess so horrified.

"The food! I left the stove on!" She all but shouted before turning and darting for the door to the shop.

"Do you remember the way?" George called as she reached for the door handle and flung the obstruction open.

"I have my help," she answered, looking Fred in the eyes and beckoning for him to follow. He couldn't help but grin in response.


	96. Chapter 96

**Fred**

She was a fast runner. He had seen it once before when she ran away from him and The Leaky Cauldron. Skillfully, she weaved in and out of the people shopping along Diagon Alley. Luckily for Fred, the busyness of the street worked to his advantage and allowed him the opportunity to keep up with the speedy time traveler above the crowd.

Her memory was pretty good too. Observing her from above she made it back to the entrance to Diagon Alley and once again merely walked through the wall separating the muggle and wizarding world. This one was of those moments that made her stand out as suspicious by not pulling out her wand to obtain entrance. Luckily, only one kid did a double take at her disappearance, surely questioning what he had just witnessed. That might be something they would need to discuss with George in the future…

Maybe they could get a fake wand? At least if she had a wand she would come across as more believable. George and Fred would have to give her a crash course in being a witch pretty soon. Maybe they could get Hermione in on it. She would probably love to teach Kagome… well… about anything really. But she was never one to allow for his and George's plots or shenanigans.

"HEY!"

Fred was caught off guard by increased weight on his leg and the voice of Kagome coming from below him. She was hanging off of his body, feet barely off of the ground. Her grinning face peering up at him reminded him of a mischievous child… like he and his brother.

Luckily the street was relatively empty. "What?" He asked dumbly, curious at her sudden outburst.

"You're supposed to be guiding me," she responded with a pout before releasing his leg and stepping softly back to the sidewalk. "So guide me, spirit!"

"I take offense to that," he remarked, but took the lead nonetheless.


	97. Chapter 97

**Fred**

Kagome practically slammed open the door when they arrived at the flat and tore up the steps, even skipping every other one. The door hit the wall so hard that it quickly bounced back and slammed shut again, forcing Fred to phase through the obstacle. By the time he made it up stairs and into the kitchen she was speaking colorful words in her native tongue in frustration. A large pot was on the stove with the burner set to high. Around the pot and the surrounding stovetop was caked with a liquidy black substance.

"What was this supposed to be?" Fred asked curiously, secretly thankful he couldn't smell whatever the burnt mess was.

"Soup," she sighed out defeated, shoulders slumped and head hanging low. "It's not like your brother had a great selection of groceries here." Taking a look inside the pot, they saw black chunks of what used to be food stuck to the bottom of it. All of the water and seasoning must have boiled over onto the stovetop causing the rest of the mess.

Letting out one last groan, she immediately set to work and cleaning up the mess she accidentally made. He watched her work silently, feeling a tad bit guilty that he couldn't help her in the slightest. Not that he was much of a cleaner when he was alive.

"I'm hoping that your brother will take me to the store so we can stock up this pantry a little better," she spoke with a small smile on her face. "Maybe I can redeem myself tomorrow."

"Oh you won't have to cook tomorrow. Every Sunday we go to mum's house for supper," Fred casually commented. "She'll be cooking for us tomorrow."

"Us?" Kagome squeaked out, the spoiled dinner momentarily forgotten. "What do you mean, us?!"


	98. Chapter 98

**Fred**

"Well, I suppose I shouldn't say us, since I'm not capable of eating at the moment… nor am I able to be seen…" Fred retorted jokingly.

Kagome was frozen on the spot, lost in some sort of trance. Clearly, she was not digesting this information well. In fact, she looked slightly terrified. Was meeting the rest of the Weasley clan really that intimidating? Sure their family was quite large and growing thanks to Fleur, Hermione and Harry, but she met people (and demons) all the time exploring the warring states era of Japan for multiple years.

When she still hadn't moved after a few moments, Fred was quick to wave a hand in front of her face. "Are you still with me, love?"

Suddenly her eyes met with his, widened and still full of shock. "I can't meet your entire family," she shrieked out. "I'm not a witch! I definitely remember your brother saying that the Weasley's are one of the few remaining pure-blood wizarding families left. They are going to see through me in an instant. They will know I'm a fraud! I won't be able to fool anyone!"

If Ginny or their mother couldn't see through Kagome, then Hermione surely would. The 'brightest witch of their time' could solve any mystery or challenge that was thrown into her life. Kagome would certainly be no exception. He and George would have a lot of work to do in the next twenty-four hours if they planned on passing the time travelling priestess off as an educated witch.

One that didn't go to Hogwarts.

"I'm sure George and I will come up with a plan," Fred reassured bringing a hand up to her head and ruffling her hair childishly. Kagome quickly stuck her lips out petulantly and swatted his hand away from her.

"That's _if_ I go," she casually added before turning her attention back to her mess.


	99. Chapter 99

**George**

Ron continued to gape at him, even more confused and surprised. "Was she making food at your house? Since when do you have girls at your house cooking for you?"

George pinched the bridge of his nose in agitation. These were the last kind of questions he wanted to answer right now. Especially coming from Ronald who would interpret everything incorrectly and then go off and run his mouth to everyone. Including mum and dad. George could already feel his headache turning into a migraine. First the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, now this.

"She was at his house when I got there," Verity chimed in, a sly grin on her face. "She seemed pretty comfortable if you ask me. You saw what she was wearing."

"Enough, Verity," George snapped. "As we have already informed you, Kagome is not an escort or a prostitute by any means. She is your co-worker and deserves your respect." The teenage witch turned away from him, a pout adorning her face as she folded her arms across her chest. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go check on her and make sure she is alright."

"Wait, is she staying with you?!" Ron blurted out, still trying to make sense of the whole situation. " _That girl_ , in _your_ apartment?"

George let out a groan. "We'll be back later to help clean up. Try not to destroy anything else in the shop while I'm gone. Let's do an inventory while we're at it so I know just how much we lost today." He ignored his brother's question, turning away from them and choosing not to make eye contact with either one of them as he walked toward the front door to the shop.

He was afraid that if they took one look at his face, they might notice the blush that stained his cheeks.


	100. Chapter 100

**George**

Cleaning up the shop took up the majority of the evening. Kagome kept to herself most of the time, silently sweeping up broken glass and carefully counting the remaining undamaged stock. Every now and then he would hear her mumble a sentence or two, or let out a short giggle, more than likely at some nonsense Fred managed to entertain her with. Lucky for his brother he got to play the ghost card when it came to helping clean up. Not being able to touch anything had its advantages at times.

Fortunately for them, Ron and Verity didn't pay much attention to her antics. Unsure of what to think of their new co-worker they too kept to themselves while tidying up. He wasn't sure what the two talked about while he stepped out to check on Kagome (who he found staring wide-eyed and terrified into a sink containing a blackened pot filled with goop), but the duo remained relatively quiet upon Kagome and his return to assist in the cleaning.

The final inventory count wasn't as bad as he anticipated it to be either. Most of the loss was with the WonderWitch line. There was a high number of Beguiling Bubbles love potions missing as well, and he wouldn't be surprised if some girls happened to snatch a few on their way out of the store. They were missing one Pygmy Puff, but in all fairness it could have happened to walk out the door with the crowd of people that left as well. Finally, eight boxes of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder were lost courtesy of Ron.

Thankfully they were home for the night, however, Kagome continued to keep to herself. Which seemed odd to him. After her passionate displays the previous evening, he just assumed she was always so expressive. Although technically he hadn't known her that long, so truthfully he shouldn't assume anything at all about her (despite knowing her entire life story). Too bad he couldn't personally see or talk to Fred. Perhaps his twin knew something that he didn't, having spent a little extra time with their new roommate trying to get home earlier.

Leaning against the doorframe, he studied her carefully. Currently she sat in her new room on the bed, lying on her back she stared up to the ceiling while her legs dangled off of the edge. The disheartened look on her face seemed so foreign on her, and he couldn't help but wonder what she could possibly be thinking about to make her this strange. When she let out a heavy sigh, he knew he needed to step in and say or do something. Pulling out his wand he muttered, " _Periculum!_ " Red sparks instantly shot from his wand, and exploded like a small firework above the quiet priestess.

Her reaction was priceless. Once again she stared in awe at the short display before immediately sitting up and grinning at him excitedly. "That's much better," he exclaimed before walking towards her.

"What's much better?" She asked confused.

"That face of yours. I don't know what's bothering you, but you've been a down right downer since we got home," he commented, taking a seat next to him. "What's bothering you, love?"

Her mind instantly shifted gears, and it showed in the worried countenance she now wore. Fingers mindlessly fidgeting with the edges of the blanket, she bit her bottom lip as if debating whether or not she actually wanted to say what was on her mind. Which only agitated him that much more.

"Out with it woman," he coaxed jokingly. "I've got a long day tomorrow and planned on getting at least a little bit of sleep tonight."

"That's just it!" She blurted out, leaning in closer to him. "Fred mentioned something about this family dinner you guys go to every Sunday and said that I would have to go!"

George couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Are you kidding? I don't even want to go to the family dinner. It's been a forced experience for me since Fred passed away."

"I'm so sorry for the pain you must have felt," she whispered kindly. "But at least you know he has been going with you each time. He's been there supporting you this whole time without you knowing it."

He couldn't help but smile at her. She was so kind-hearted and it showed in her constant concern for everyone else. "That's true. And I am very thankful for that. I'm sure he witnessed me in some pretty dark times." George wasn't sure if Fred was in there with them or not. She made no comment yet to indicate one way or the other. But for now he was just going to assume that he was. "In fact, I'm certain it was absolutely torturous for him. I'm absolutely boring all alone."

She suppressed a laugh. "I'm sure you two are fantastic. Ron seems pretty interesting himself. Does your whole family have red hair?"

"Oh yes. Us Weasleys are well known for our red hair and freckles. Seems to be the defining trait of our family." In fact, it probably got their family singled out in more cases than they'd care to admit to during the Second Wizarding War. He remembered Ron having problems with that Malfoy git. Sometimes it wasn't always a good thing to be so recognizable. "Our dinners would probably come across as pretty hilarious to any outsiders."

Her mood faltered again and she turned her gaze away from his own. "I just don't know how comfortable I would feel at one of you family dinners. I mean, this all happened so fast."

Placing his left hand on her leg he softly said, "No one is going to make you attend. You're more than welcome anywhere that Fred and I go, but you're not going to be forced into anything you don't wish to do."

She brought her eyes back to his own. "Thanks. You know I love meeting new people. But, I think you're family would be able to tell that I'm not a witch."

"Well, Fred and I will teach you all about magic and our world. Don't you worry about that."

She smiled gratefully towards him once again as he stood up and walked toward the door. It was getting late and he knew they were definitely both ready for bed. "Goodnight George." She called to him with a yawn. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Goodnight Kagome," he started before pausing in the doorframe. Keeping his back to her he stated, "For the record, I wouldn't mind your company tomorrow should you change your mind."

Running a nervous hand through his hair, he left her alone so that she could get some rest. Looking forward to a good night of sleep himself.


	101. Chapter 101

**George**

He actually slept really well that night. For the second morning in a row now, he woke up feeling absolutely refreshed. There were no nightmares, no reenactments rattling around in his head throughout the night, and no feeling like complete shit the next morning.

This was something he could really get used to.

Not wanting to waste even a little bit of this feeling, he quickly swung his legs over the side of the bed. But instead of the hardwood flooring he was used to, his foot met with a strange smooth feeling fabric that instantly shifted with his weight, causing him to fall right to the ground.

Or what was supposed to be the ground.

Instead, he landed quite heavily on something lumpy that he was now on top of. He didn't know what he landed on, but it definitely wasn't as firm as his hard wood floors. Sitting up he rubbed his head in pain. "What in Merlin's beard…"

Opening his eyes they met with Kagome's bright blue ones. She was definitely red in embarrassment, gripping what looked like the edges of a sleeping bag, while trying to bury herself deeper in the padded linen. "Er… Good morning?" She asked, abashed.

He blinked in confusion. Was he still dreaming? Had he actually not woken up at all? Glancing around he noted that he was definitely in his room and not Fred's room. And he was definitely straddling his new roommate who was lying on his bedroom floor in a sleeping bag. "You're sleeping on my floor." It was not a question.

"Yes." She verified, trying to bury herself even further, but unable to thanks to his added weight.

They stared at one another. "May I ask why?"

"You may…" she responded playfully.

George clicked his tongue in annoyance.


	102. Chapter 102

**Fred**

Fred woke up feeling pretty good. Or at least he thought so. Seeing as he was a ghost and all. As usual, sleep made him question his existence. Especially since he wasn't quite sure if he was sleeping at all or just losing track of time while staring into the ceiling. Whether he slept or not, whenever he came back to reality during the morning he generally felt rested.

Out of respect for Kagome, he float-slept in the living room above the couch. Technically he could have sprawled out in the air anywhere, but he liked to pretend that he still had to do some things that living folks did. He typically did the same thing each morning, and today was going to be no exception. He was going to check on his brother and see if George was awake.

Floating right by the wall to his brother's room, he prayed to whatever afterlife entity existed (and apparently has decided not to accept him yet. Rude.) that his brother was decent. He'd been lucky enough in the past six months to not run into anything… unsavory. But who knew when that luck would run out. And the fool better be careful now that they had a lady living in the house with them. A lady that took his bedroom from him…

Not that he needed it right now or anything.

But one day he might, so he'd like the option to be there. After all, he and his brother had only truly been apart twice in their lives: the night George lost his ear and the day that he had died at the Battle of Hogwarts. That's probably why in a weird way Fred didn't wander off and explore the world as a ghost. If he left George alone, even though his twin couldn't see him, he was afraid that something bad would happen again.

Although, to be fair, the first time he had managed to lose George in his afterlife, he met Kagome at The Leaky Cauldron.


	103. Chapter 103

**Fred**

Fred poked his head through the wall separating the living room from his brother's room and nearly did a double take when he realized his brother was not in bed but instead on the ground. Straddling a girl. Not just any girl, but their new roommate Kagome. He didn't know what she was wearing, but George was wearing nothing but boxers.

Quite scandalous really.

She was attempting to hide herself in what looked like a sleeping bag, while his twin simply stared down at her. Kind of creepily, if he was being honest. But much like himself, George looked utterly confused and annoyed. What was she doing there? Why was she there?

He was more impressed with Kagome's stealth skills. Usually Fred was aware of anything that happened around the house because he was such a light sleeper. Although since the priestess started spending the night, his slumbers just continued to get more and more fulfilling. But sleeping bags are noisy! Or at least, so he thought. Apparently their little ninja friend had no problem sneaking her way over to George's.

But to sleep on the floor?

"So are you going to tell me, or do I actually have to ask?" George wondered out loud.

Fred sniggered. Clearly he had missed part of the conversation already. "I know I'd certainly like to know what's going on," he offered casually, while making his way all the way into the room. "Mornin'."

Kagome let out an embarrassed groan and tried to pull the sleeping bag cover up over her head. Unfortunately George's weight prevented that from happening. "Good morning Fred," she finally mumbled out in acknowledgment.

George couldn't have attempted to scurry off of her fast enough. Too bad his brother's foot slipped on the sleeping bag causing the bloke to land next to her on the floor.

Smooth.


	104. Chapter 104

**George**

He landed face first on the floor next to her, and quite frankly he didn't want to turn over to let Fred or Kagome see his flustered face. But at the same time he really wanted an answer to the questions once again swirling around his head. Just when he didn't think their new houseguest could manage to surprise him, she turns around and leaves him stumped all over again.

Turning his head to the side, he locked eyes with Kagome who had managed to hide the entire lower half of her face inside of her sleeping bag. "So, are you going to tell me why we had a surprise slumber party again?"

"You'll laugh at me!" She muttered with a pout. "And think I'm silly."

He already thought she was silly most of the time. So he doubted that anything she had to say could add to that opinion. "Try me," he finally said, stretching out his arms and making himself comfortable. He wondered if Fred was doing the same thing in the air above them. Prat was probably thinking dirty thoughts.

She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "I can't sleep by myself. Or, I find it extremely difficult. After traveling in a pack for so long… eating together, sleeping together, fighting together… Being alone is a whole new experience for me."

"But haven't you been traveling around the world looking for magic alone?" George didn't mean to come across harsh by any means, and hoped that she understood that he was just curious and trying to understand her logic.

"I did and it's been hard. I would purposely stay in hostels or group homes, not even thinking if anyone would consider harming me," she added. "Honestly, after London I was on the verge of giving up and going home. I was running out of energy."


	105. Chapter 105

**Fred**

Fred attempted to hover above the ground on the opposite side that George was on. His brother had finally rolled over, and the three of them were currently resting on their backs staring up at the ceiling. Kagome's news wasn't that much of a bomb shell in his opinion. Honestly, it made complete sense. He and George of all people know exactly what it's like to have their life turned upside down by having a family member, or in her case pack members, ripped away.

He remembered the countless nights where George tossed and turned from nightmares. Before Kagome started spending the night, Fred couldn't recall the last time his brother actually had a good night's rest. George would blame himself night after night for his death, claiming that they never should have been separated in the first place. Most of the time his brother would eventually just pass out from sheer emotional and physical exhaustion.

"Just so you know, I'm glad you decided not to go home," Fred commented. And it was true. If she hadn't come along both he and his brother probably would have been done. Fred himself was on the verge of ditching George's mopey lifestyle to see if he could figure something out on his own. Then, who knows what would have happened to George…

Kagome turned to face him, moving the sleeping bag cover away from her she smiled softly at him. "Thanks, Fred. I'm glad I decided not to go home too." She always made sure to fully respond to him so that George had an idea of what was being said. How considerate of her.

"Thank you for being so stubborn," George responded, a little more bluntly and with less finesse.

But he certainly was telling the truth. Her stubbornness was their saving grace.


	106. Chapter 106

**Fred**

"Nice boxers," Fred sniggered out, talking towards the brother who couldn't actually hear him.

But the one person in the room that could hear him reacted beautifully. Snapping her attention toward George she let out a squeal. "Put some clothes on, you pervert!" She exclaimed tossing a pillow at his face.

"You're in _my_ room!" George retaliated, tossing the pillow right back to her face. "If anything _you're_ the pervert here. Sneaking into a young man's room in the middle of the night to sleep on his floor. How scandalous."

"Scandalous indeed little priestess," Fred echoed a sly grin on his face.

With a soft growl she stood up and grabbed her sleeping bag, attempting to bundle it in her arms. "You know what? I don't have to take this from you! Sorry to have intruded in my time of need!" She finished off her little speech by sticking her tongue out at the both of them.

"Rude," the twins said at the same time, which only resulted in her sending them a raspberry in retaliation.

"Well then this 'little priestess'," she mocked, "Will be getting out of your hair. So sorry to have been quite the disruption."

Fred rolled his eyes as she turned away from the boys, aiming to make her way out the door. Quickly, he darted in front of her and gave her a small nudge. She had such momentum as she walked, she couldn't react fast enough to his antics.

With an 'eep', she fell backwards directly into George. His twin was quickly knocked over under her weight, and she tumbled after him, landing directly between his legs. She bashfully looked up at George while he looked down at her, equally as red in the face.

"Fred!" They both cried out in anger.

He hastily made himself scarce.


	107. Chapter 107

**George**

Kagome had quickly scampered out of the room, nearly as fast as she managed to knock him over. Courtesy of his lovely brother, Fred. She pulled the door shut behind her, allowing him at least a little bit of privacy to get ready for the day. Or at least, as far as he knew… Since he couldn't exactly see his brother, he was never really sure where the ghostly prankster lurked.

He took his time getting ready. Not too eager to face Kagome after their… ahem… embarrassing predicament earlier. Once he was fully clothed and refreshed for the day, he meandered out of his room and into the sitting area. As he stepped into the public dwelling, an array of wonderful scents bombarded his nose.

A soft humming sounded from the kitchen along with the sounds of sizzling. Kagome stood in front of the stove top, spatula in hand, bobbing her head to the rhythm of whatever tune she was entertaining herself with. Glancing over her shoulder he was able to see the source of the delicious aromas filling his apartment. Two skillets were currently in use, one containing fried eggs and one with sausage. Their place had never smelled this good before.

"Since when did we have groceries like this?" George questioned out loud. He couldn't even remember the last time he actually went shopping. Before this weekend he would just grab basic necessities or boxed meals on a day by day basis, not really caring too much about eating healthy.

"Since I went to the convenient store down the street while you were taking your sweet time getting dressed," she answered. "Seriously you take longer than a high school girl to get ready."

George snorted and crossed his arms. "I don't appreciate your comment but I do appreciate your breakfast."


	108. Chapter 108

**George**

George leaned back on the couch, an empty plate resting on the table in front of him. Kagome continued to happily munch next to him, taking her time as she ate the fantastic meal she managed to whip up for them. He was certain Fred had to be absolutely jealous that he was able to eat the delicious looking food. He wished he could see his brother's grumpy face.

They'd spent the morning slowly going over basic magic information. It was hard to find an order to magic, so he just sort of started with the fact that kids received their letters for Hogwarts around their eleventh birthday. "Typically in the two weeks before school starts you'll see the students running around Diagon Alley getting all of their supplies."

"Is that when you get your sticks?" She asked, mouthful of eggs, quite unladylike. "Do you get multiple sticks or just one?"

"Yes that's when we get our _wands_ ," George clarified. "The Ollivander family makes the best wands and has been doing it the longest too… I think since 382 BCE or something like that."

Kagome opened her mouth to ask a question but paused, no doubt interrupted by a comment made by Fred. His suspicions were confirmed when she quirked a brow and asked, "How exactly does the wand choose the wizard? They don't just magically float over to you do they? Because that sounds a little creepy honestly…"

George thought about his family walking in to Garrick Ollivander's shop and suddenly having a load of wands floating up and pointing at them menacingly… or maybe they would just fly into your hand? First years would probably run out screaming in fear at the ritual if it was done that way. "No they don't. You test different wands and see which one is able to harness your magical capabilities."

"That sounds kind of fun…" she mumbled, placing her plate on the table alongside his own.

He wondered.. what would happen if she did try and get a wand?


	109. Chapter 109

**Fred**

"If you got a wand you'd probably break it in the first day," Fred sourly stated. Honestly, he was being a bit bitter at the moment. Kagome had cooked breakfast! A hot female was in their home cooking wonderful looking food, and he couldn't eat a single bite of it. Not that he needed to eat or anything. But George wasn't being near as appreciative enough as he should be. No woman besides their mother had over graced their stomachs with their homecooking before.

She petulantly stuck out her lips in a pout while folding her arms. "I would not break it…" Standing up, she grabbed the two now empty plates and sashayed her way back into the kitchen to clean up her mess. Both Weasley men followed behind to join her. "Besides, as you adamantly stated before," she started pointing a scrub brush at George, "I am not a witch. So it wouldn't make a difference anyway."

Witch or not, she was something. That little magical barrier of hers verified that much. Along with the fact that she just walked through the barrier dividing Diagon Alley and The Leaky Cauldron. Sure she could shoot magical arrows that allowed for her to purify demons. But the world isn't exactly running rampant with those at the moment. So no real chance to display that for them.

Honestly, he couldn't wait to see what other abilities she had hidden dormant within her.

"So what kind of classes do you take at wizard school with your wands?" She interrupted his thoughts.

"Let's see," George paused to gather all the thoughts. "There's Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, Herbology, Transfiguration…"

"Potions, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Flying, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes," Fred finished off. Now that he thought about it, they took a lot of classes over the years. Well, the years they actually attended anyway.

"Potions sounds fun!" Kagome turned to look at them excitedly. "I wouldn't mind learning how to do that. You wouldn't even need a wand!"


	110. Chapter 110

**Fred**

They spent hours talking about magic and Hogwarts which excited Kagome. She loved to learn about the wizarding world and it showed in her face. George even demonstrated a few spells for her, which only delighted her that much more. In fact, they probably could have spent the entire day talking and entertaining her with magic.

But the clock struck three o'clock, meaning that George was already considered late for dinner. Even though the never technically ate until closer to five, Mrs. Weasley insisted on all of her children arriving early to catch up and actually be a family together. With a sigh his brother stood up and made his way toward the fireplace in the sitting room, preparing to disembark on yet another Weasley Sunday Dinner get together.

"Oh! You're going to travel by Floo Network!" Kagome beamed proudly at Fred who gave her a thumbs up. She really was retaining the information she learned from them quite well.

"That I am," George verified, while reaching for the small urn resting on the mantle that held the silvery powder needed to travel. Wand pointed at the hearth, he said, " _Incendio!_ " It immediately erupted into flames and he quickly tossed the floo powder into the blaze.

When the fire immediately turned emerald, Kagome's eyes widened. "That's amazing!" She rushed forward kneeling down so that she was face to face with the fire and ran a hand through the flames. When she felt no pain or harm come to her hand, she looked up at the two in awe.

George placed a hand on her head, ruffling up her hair playfully. "Sure you don't want to come?" She bashfully turned away from him, and nodded his head. Shrugging, he stepped into the flames and called out, "The Burrow!"

And right before their eyes he disappeared.


	111. Chapter 111

**George**

Something felt off about his arrival to The Burrow this particular Sunday. Perhaps it's because now he knew it was the first visit he'd be having without Fred tagging along behind him. Or maybe it felt strange to leave Kagome behind in the apartment. Either way he was feeling on edge.

"George, my boy!" His father was the first to greet him with a hearty hug. With his father's exclamation, he knew that it wouldn't be long before…

"George is here?" Molly Weasley poked her head out from the kitchen and into the sitting area where the fireplace resided. She quickly made her way toward him and shooed her husband out of the way to envelope him in her own motherly hug. "How are you doing dear? You know I've missed you dearly."

"I know mum. It's good to see you too." Even if it had only been a week since the last time he saw her.

"You were so late, I wasn't sure if you'd actually be joining us or not," she stated ushering him towards the dining room where he could hear the chatter of his brothers already, Arthur Weasley right behind them. Looking at the clock he noted that it was only 3:02 PM.

With a sigh, he walked into the room where more of the family eagerly greeted him. Bill and a very pregnant Fleur sat next to one another near one end, Charlie next to him, followed by Percy and his new girlfriend Audrey. On the other side of the table sat Harry and Ron who nodded at him in acknowledgment. Taking a seat next to Ron, he turned his attention to the part veela witch. "How are you holding up over there Fleur? How is little Victoire developing?"

"She iz fine," she responded while patting her stomach. "But eet iz you ve are vorried about. How are you?"

"Oh I'm doing just fine. No need to worry about me," he added with a smile.

"I'll say he's doing fine," Ron half interrupted. "He's got himself a bloody personal assistant now."


	112. Chapter 112

**George**

George immediately threw a glare at his younger brother who only smirked in response. That little prat just loved to gossip. He knew Kagome would more than likely come up in conversation today at some point thanks to Ronniekins, but he honestly hoped he would at least hold off until after dinner was served.

Thankfully his mother wasn't paying too much attention at the moment and was instead too busy focused on making sure the roast she was fixing was absolutely perfect.

"Assistant?" Harry echoed slightly amused. "Why would you possibly need an assistant?"

All eyes were on him at this point, and he honestly didn't like how this exchange was going so far. It was spiraling out of control and soon would be at the point of bringing up Kagome's name. Then they would really start firing questions at him, and mum would be all over him about her. There was only one way out of this…

Sorry Fred.

"Well, as you all know I've been kind of short staffed since Fred passed away," he started, his head bowed and eyes averted from everyone else's. "Now that the holidays are upon us I couldn't leave Ron and Verity abandoned at work, and I don't know if I'm strong enough to do all the development alone…"

He heard a choked sob come from Fleur on the other side of the table. Taking a peek at the rest of the table's inhabitants, he noticed everyone looking away from him, looks of guilt etched on each of their faces. Even Ron seemed a little unsure of how to answer despite having spent the day with Kagome yesterday. For now, he was quieted.

Lucky for him Hermione and Ginny were back at Hogwarts completing their seventh year and were stuck at school until winter break. If they were there, they would have been able to see through him right away.


	113. Chapter 113

**George**

"So Harry," George immediately attempted to change the subject as his mother placed a hot cup of tea in front of him. "I hear you, Ron and Hermione are all going to be featured on chocolate frog cards."

The younger investor of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes let out a nervous laugh. "It's amazing, honestly. In fact, seeing as eight years ago I didn't even know I was a wizard, I'd say the past decade has been absolutely wicked." Of course it had its ups and downs for the boy-who-lived, saving the wizarding world and all, destroying the horcruxes and what not. But who wouldn't want to grow up to find out they were a witch or wizard to learn magic?

George couldn't even imagine growing up as a muggle like Harry, Hermione and Kagome.

What did they have to look forward to when they were that young? Just regular muggle school and moving out on their own? Didn't seem like there was much room for excitement there. Thankfully, he along with the rest of his family didn't have to worry about that problem.

"I suppose I should starting selling them in the shop if my family members are going to start being featured on chocolate frog cards. Probably one of your greatest achievements yet!" George joked, nudging Ron in the side.

"Yeah," Ron agreed beaming at his family. "Being able to add my own face along with my best friend's and girl friend's to my collection just makes it that much better."

Charlie rolled his eyes at his brother's antics. "Oh I'm sure. The Weasley clan for generations will be bragging about our crowning achievements: being placed on chocolate frog cards. Forget actually helping to save the world and all. It's the cards that matter."

Even Arthur couldn't help but choke on his tea while trying his hardest not to laugh.


	114. Chapter 114

**Fred**

Kagome was lying completely backwards on the couch in the living room. Her back was resting on the seat cushion with her butt pushed up against the back of the couch, legs hanging over the back. Her head was completely limp, almost touching the ground while her arms were in fact sprawled lazily on the hardwood floor. Letting out a long and audible sigh she started to kick her feet against the wall.

"You're acting like a child." Fred pointed out while hovering above the table cross-legged while looking down at her.

"It's so boring," she whined. "Why does your store have to be closed today? I need something to do."

"We could have gone to the infamous Weasley Sunday dinner party," Fred suggested. "I could tell you how to get there."

She snorted. Quite unladylike if you asked him. "That's not going to happen. Maybe next time, but not today."

"It would have given you something to do at least." He paused. Trying to come up with something. To be honest, he was quite bored too. Now that he had someone to talk to it made his anxiousness to do something that much worse. He'd been wanting to get back to work too…

That's it!

"I could shoot some ideas off of you! I've had plenty of time to think about some new inventions and what not after all."

"Sounds good to me," she responded, readjusting herself on the couch so that she was completely lying on the length of it. "Shoot."

"Well, with quills, you know how you have to dip them in the ink before writing on parchment?"

"Wait you guys use quills? Like… back in the olden days?" She quirked a brow slightly confused by his announcement.

"Yes quills." Muggles couldn't be that daft could they? "What if we created a quill that we filled with ink so that we didn't have to constantly keep dipping them and posing the risk that it spills all over our parchment?"

Kagome stared at him incredulously before bursting out laughing. "Fred! I'm afraid you're a century too late."

"What do you mean?" He hadn't seen anything like this already. She must be mental.

"A pen. What you're thinking of is called a pen."


	115. Chapter 115

**George**

There was one thing in the world that would never change: Mum's home cooking really is the best. The roast and potatoes that she made was absolutely delicious. Poor Fred really was missing out on not being able to eat. He couldn't imagine how his brother could have managed to not go nuts just watching everyone else eat at these dinners.

Now he was kind of glad that Fred decided to stay behind with Kagome. At least the poor ghost would be able to actually have an enjoyable Sunday for once having someone to talk to. Who knows, maybe his partner will even get some work done. Maybe while he had been busy moping for the past six months, his brother had been thinking of new products to develop.

His mother sat across the table from him diagonally, watching her family enjoy the dinner she prepared. She hadn't said anything yet, but he knew what she wanted to hear. "Thanks mum, it's delicious." George complimented while taking another bite. Her smile widened as the rest of the table also displayed their appreciation for the meal.

Ron let out a low snigger, barely audible to the rest of the table, but heard nonetheless. The younger Weasley's best friend raised an eyebrow at his antics. "What's so funny, Ron?"

"Oh nothing really. I was just thinking to myself is all," Ron cast a sideways glance toward him. "Just wondering if Kagome's cooking was just as good."

George immediately started to choke on a potato he managed to inhale as Ron dropped his bombshell on the table. As he managed to get his airways under control, George did the next necessary thing: he nudged his brother in the ribs as hard as he could. Ron instantly dropped his own fork and clutched his side in pain, shouting. "What the hell'd you do that for?!"


	116. Chapter 116

**Fred**

"This is amazing," Fred awed as he watched Kagome scribble on a napkin with one of the pens she was talking about before. Ink flowed freely from the small device that she pulled from her yellow backpack. Not once did she have to dip it in ink in order for it to write, it was simply stored within the shaft of the pen.

And to think that muggles thought of it before wizards!

Or maybe the wizards did try to develop one, realized their 'invention' was already in use by muggles and decided to discard the whole thing. Many wizards often times had a superiority complex after all. But there were a lot of items that wizards didn't take the time to understand that had been developed by muggles. For example, electricity and airplanes. Witches and wizards didn't often look into what they called the 'science' behind things. Magic was magic.

But it looked like muggles had come along quite nicely. In fact, his father would be so excited by all of this information he probably wouldn't be able to contain himself.

Kagome let out a soft giggle. Taking in Fred's excited expression at the simple object. "And you think us muggles are silly. You wizards are silly, wasting all that money on quills and ink. You probably write on parchment too, don't you?"

Fred chose not to answer that question, but puffed up his cheeks in agitation. Know it all. "Well," Fred pondered out loud. "What about a writing device that allows you to get rid of something you just wrote down. Sort of like a vanishing device for ink."

Once again she couldn't control her laughter as she fell back against the couch. "That's called an eraser. We have erasers available for both pens and pencils, although it's easier to erase graphite and lead than it is ink."

Damn it all.


	117. Chapter 117

**George**

"Who is 'Kagome'?" Bill asked with a mouth full of meat. He preferred his a little on the undercooked side these days, and George swore he saw a little blood fall back to the plate he had. His brother's rude behavior earned him a nudge from his wife Fleur.

But the only blood that George could think about spilling was his younger brother's.

"It's his new assistant," Ron answered in the shop owner's stead, while sending them all a sly grin. "You remember the one I mentioned before? She was cooking for him yesterday before work."

" _She?_ " Everyone else at the table echoed while looking at him, their mouths agape in surprise.

George let out an annoyed groan. Was it really that surprising to hear that he had a female assistant? Sure no one else needed to know that she could speak to ghosts and that she was acting as a translator for Fred toward him… not that anyone else in the family would believe him anyway. Hell, he hadn't believed it either. Then his family would probably think that he was a gullible loser while she was taking advantage of his hospitality and…

He shook his head to clear his mind of the thoughts that were running wild. He needed to get this situation under control. But he was starting to run out of ideas. "Yes, she." George verified, pushing his food away from him. "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes is an equal opportunity employer. Any gender is welcome and I'm not going to turn down someone's generosity if they want to cook a meal for me. Besides, she insisted."

"Well you haven't been eating right," Molly Weasley commented with a slight smile, a little thankful that someone else was taking care of her son that wasn't taking care of himself.

"Has she insisted on spending the night with you yet?" Ron added while propping himself up on the table with his hand, elbow resting on the edge of the table.

Oh blood was definitely going to be spilled if this interrogation continued.


	118. Chapter 118

**George**

"That is your coworker, y'know," George reminded. If Kagome heard him speaking about her like this, she would beat Ron as bad as those demons that she used to go after. Granted, he wouldn't mention the fact that she hadn't insisted on spending the night with him. She merely did it on her own after he made her move in with him.

Details.

But details that didn't need to be brought up.

"Oh I respect her," Ron stated, a sly look on his face. "The real question is, have _you_ so far?"

"Ron!" His parents cried out, aghast at the boys audacity. Harry choked on the cup of tea he was indulging in while the rest of his family looked at the youngest Weasley son absolutely horrified over the words that just came out of the boy's mouth. Surely he had been raised to be more sensitive than that?

But truthfully, George was a little thankful that someone wasn't tip-toeing around him for once. No hushed whispers and pitying looks as he walked by. Someone was finally coming at him and joking with him like a normal person… like a brother. Maybe Ron wasn't as dumb as he liked to let on sometimes.

Even if it was absolutely pissing him off.

"Well," George started standing up, slamming his hands against the table. "I'd love to stay and chit-chat, but truth be told I actually wouldn't." Since it seemed to be revolving completely around Kagome at the moment. "Thank you for dinner mum, it was fantastic as usual."

Molly sent him a loving smile, even if there was a little bit of sadness hidden behind it thanks to his sudden desire to leave while his father sent him a nod. Just as he was set to disapparate from the house, Ron called out, "Have fun with your assistant!"


	119. Chapter 119

**Fred**

A sudden popping noise in the room distracted him and Kagome from their in depth conversation on the fact that there are different colored pens and pencils. George just apparated into the room and quickly plopped down on the couch, letting out a sigh of relief in the process. Kagome glanced at Fred questioningly before turning her attention to his newly arrived brother.

"Are you alright? You look… red." She furrowed her brow in frustration. "Are you feeling well? I can take your temperature if you want?"

"Take my temperature?" George questioned unfamiliar with the phrase. Fred had overheard muggles use the expression while out and about as well. He knew it had something to do with illness, but with magic they would simply cure any illness that may be afflicting them with a simple potion. They had more important things to worry about than suffering from the common cold or influenza.

But she was lightening fast, and quickly placed her left hand on George's forehead. When she didn't seem to find what she was looking for, she quickly turned her hand and placed it against his cheek left cheek. "You don't feel warm…" she muttered to herself before pulling away. "How about I make you some tea? Maybe that will help!"

Energetically she stood up and made her way to the kitchen to put the kettle on. Humming to herself she prepared everything she needed for the warm beverage. Fred hovered over the table sitting cross legged and observing his brother. George was red, but it certainly wasn't from a fever. Someone back home must have said something to him to get him all flustered.

Fred would bet ten galleons that it was thanks to Ron.

Kagome happily skipped back over to the couch placing two cups of tea on the table below him, along with a small bowl of milk and sugar. Mumbling his thanks, George picked up the cup closest to him and blew on the beverage in an attempt to cool it down. Both Fred and Kagome watched him closely, waiting for the new arrival to say anything about the dinner he came from.

Feeling all eyes on him, George stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. "What?" He asked dumbly.

Kagome simply smiled and cocked her head slightly to the side saying, "Welcome home!"


	120. Chapter 120

**Fred**

"Do you guys have anymore skiving snackboxes? I don't see anymore on the shelf!"

"My son's head is gone!"

"This stupid Pygmy Puff bit me!"

Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was quite busy on this dreary Monday morning, but Kagome seemed to be handling herself quite well. In fact, she woke up extremely early, prepared breakfast for George and was out of the door making her way to the shop to get the day going. She wasn't kidding when she said she rose with the sun each day. Fred didn't even think George knew that she had managed to sneak into the sleeping boy's room again last night to get some rest herself.

Fred walked her through all of the basics of the store to help get set up for the day. She learned to count the drawer and set up the register, stock most of the products that were running low on the floor and even dusted and polished most of the shelves. The store honestly looked as good as it did the day they opened it a few years ago. Even Ron and Verity were surprised when they arrived at work a couple of hours later.

As if it were part of her everyday routine, Kagome quickly walked by the mother who stared at her boy who no longer displayed a head and picked off the Headless Hat product that had made it all possible. She then scooped up the puffskein out of the small girl's hands that claimed to have gotten bit while placing a small bandage in its place. Finally, placing the Pygmy Puff on her shoulder, she swiftly walked to the backroom storage, grabbed a stack of Skiving Snack Boxes and replaced the missing items.

Honestly, she acted like she had been working there for months, not for two days. Fred was impressed and glad that he had decided to accompany her this morning to make her ready for the crowd. "Oh Kagome," he called out, gaining the girl's attention. She didn't say anything in response but looked at him curiously. "There's only one more thing you need to feel more at home here. Follow me to the breakroom!"


	121. Chapter 121

**George**

George had been slightly surprised (and perhaps a tad bit disappointed) when he woke up alone in his room that morning. He was even more surprised to find the flat completely empty as well. The only thing that greeted him this morning was a plate of food wrapped in foil along with a small card with his name on it. Picking up the card he flipped it over and read:

_Good Morning George! I hope you slept well. I've prepared a small breakfast for you. Fred is taking me to the store to give me an early start on my training. Take your time getting ready and we'll see you soon. -Kagome_

A soft smile adorned his face as he obliged by the note's request. His breakfast was simple, made up of a poached egg, bacon, and some grilled tomatoes. It was only slightly warm, but he didn't mind. He felt spoiled enough having food waiting on him in the first place. He only wished he had company to enjoy it with.

He did take his time getting ready, so much in fact that he lost track of it altogether and was a bit surprised when the clock read ten in the morning. The shop had already been open for an hour! George had planned on walking to work that day but decided to apparate since he was already running behind. With a pop, he appeared outside of the store and made his way inside.

As he expected the shop was a little crowded. Not as busy as the weekend, but since it was getting closer to the holidays, everyday was going to be swamped. Looking around, George noted that Verity was running the register while Ron assisted individuals around the shop. So where was his newest associate?

"George!" He heard her voice call out, and he immediately turned his attention the balcony leading to the employee break room where she leaned over the railing in excitement. "Look at me!"

He grinned as he took in Kagome's small figure as she twirled gleefully adorned in the magenta dress robes that were the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes uniform.


	122. Chapter 122

**George**

Today was a long but good day. He was honestly impressed at how well Kagome did picking up on things in the store. But if Fred was there to guide her along the way, than he had no doubt she would be an expert by the end of the week at just about everything. Then, hopefully, he could utilize her and Fred to brainstorm and create some new items for the holidays. It would be back to business as usual.

Sort of…

Maybe along the way they could figure out some way to help Fred become a little more permanent amongst the living world. But that was something they could worry about at a later date. For now, he needed to survive the holidays not only at work, but with the family as well. He let out a sigh and plopped down on his bed exhausted. Boy was he glad to be home.

Shuffling at the doorway drew his attention toward the entrance to his room. Kagome stood awkwardly holding her sleeping bag while wearing a pair of pajama pants and a tank top. She looked at him with puppy dog eyes, not saying anything at all. He knew she was waiting on him to give him an answer, and she knew that he knew. So the two simply stared at each other, not saying a word.

Was there really any harm in letting her spend the night in his room? After all, it seemed to help them both sleep better. Only the two of them and Fred would know, and it's not like Fred could tell anyone in the family about it. He doubted Kagome would say anything… and he certainly wasn't going to.

Making up his mind, he held out an open arm to her beckoning for her to join him. With a happy grin she immediately joined him in the room and sat on the edge of the bed. Then, quickly he pulled out his wand and uttered the growth charm, enlarging his own bed so that it took up most of the room. Tossing aside, her sleeping bag to what little bit of the floor was visible, she comfortable snuggled under the covers gleefully.

"Goodnight!" She called out to him and his brother.

"Goodnight," he responded softly, making himself cozy on the opposite side of the bed.

As he settled in and closed his eyes, George felt a tug on the back of the shirt he wore. "Thanks," Kagome mumbled blissfully. "For everything."


	123. Chapter 123

**Fred**

The week went by extremely fast. It was strange how for over six months the days seemed to drone on unbearably and without end. Now, it felt like at least they had all reached some sort of normality in their lives, despite him being dead and all. But they truly felt like a little make-shift family 'living' together in their flat.

Now it was Saturday, and the store was slam packed. People littered the store eager to start their Christmas shopping, now that it was the first weekend in December. Young wizards played with the various joke items while witches found themselves enamored with the WonderWitch line of love potions. Ron tended to stay away from this section of the store thanks to the accidental run in he had with one in his sixth year at Hogwarts.

Kagome easily blended in with the other witches she helped. Even though she was still learning about most of the products, and whole heartedly believed that using a love potion was wrong, she made a great sales woman pitching each of the different little bottles. Her acting was impeccable, giggling with the lot of the girls and making up successful stories of her own. She did what she needed to for the shop, despite her personal beliefs and feelings about things and did a damn good job at it. Verity's line at the register was never ending thanks to all the pushing of the products. Even George was starting to feel overwhelmed with constantly having to stock the shelves.

Fred looked down on the store with a satisfied grin on his face. It was amazing the difference a single person was able to make in their lives in a little over a week.

When the bell at the front door to the shop signaled an arrival, Fred instinctively turned around to see their new comer. But he froze when he saw who it was that decided to pay the store a visit. There at the door stood mum, dad, Harry, Bill and Fleur.


	124. Chapter 124

**Fred**

"Oh no," Fred mumbled aloud to himself as he hovered in the air, looking down at his family members that just walked into the shop. On a normal basis he would be more than happy to see all of them. But they rarely came to visit unless they heard news about George. Meaning, someone had spilled about Kagome during supper last weekend.

Mum's eyes scanned the shop quickly and instantly zeroed in on Kagome who just finished up with assisting another witch. She instantly nudged Dad in the side and whispered something to the group, most likely getting them to turn their focus toward the newest store associate. They all openly stared Kagome, and to his surprise, Kagome took no notice of the attention as she started to straighten up the shelves.

Kagome's countenance quickly turned to surprise as she freed a purple Pygmy Puff that had gotten lodged in a basket of cupid crystals. "How did you get over here?" she mumbled to herself as she picked up the little puffskein. "Let's move you back to where you belong, hm?"

As she made her way over to the Pygmy Puff play pen, it turned out another set of eyes were watching the priestess. George had just placed a stack of Skiving Snackboxes down a few aisles down and took notice of Kagome as she carried the miniature creature, nuzzling it against her nose and speaking to it playfully. George leaned across one of the chest high shelves, and watched her vigilantly, eyes soft and a small smile on his face.

Fred's jaw dropped in surprise. When had _this_ started? When had his twin started looking at her like that? Yes she was pretty, but this was more than that.

Merlin's beard…

George fancied Kagome.

That had to be it. A crush, perhaps?

Fred turned to look at his parents and family members and saw his mother's own surprised face. But Molly Weasley was watching George watching Kagome.

And she recognized the look on her son's face.


	125. Chapter 125

**George**

He couldn't help but smile at the antics of Kagome. He said it the night he first saw her browsing in his shop, and he'd say it again, she was cute. George's eyes slightly widened in surprise at his last thought. Correction, her interactions with the Pygmy Puffs were cute. It was obvious that she had a soft spot for the small little creatures. She was doing so well adjusting to working in the store. Maybe he'd have to consider getting one for her…

He was just about to go back to stocking items when someone behind him said, "Hullo George."

Turning around he was a bit surprised to see his future brother-in-law standing awkwardly behind him. "Harry," he sent the younger man a nod. "What are you doing here? Doing some holiday shopping for Ginny? I have to tell you mate, I'm not sure she'll want much of anything else from here now that she has Arnold."

Harry let out a nervous laugh and ran a hand through his messy hair. "Not exactly... I actually kind of got dragged here along with the rest of the family by Mrs. Weasley…"

George's attention immediately snapped back to where Kagome stood, however, this time she was not alone. His mother had just walked up toward her excitedly, and George didn't waste anytime in making his way to the two women as well.

"You must be Kagome," his mother said delightedly, while taking Kagome's hands in her own. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you!"

"Oh, yes, I am Kagome," the confused girl responded, while casting a quick glance upward, slightly above the Weasley clan that had followed the maternal figure through the store. Fred must have provided her with an answer as to who the mystery woman was when she suddenly added, "George speaks very highly of his admirable mother. It's a pleasure to meet you as well Mrs. Weasley."


	126. Chapter 126

**George**

George didn't let their conversation get much further and immediately stepped in to interfere. Placing himself between Kagome and his mother, he separated the two and took his mother's hands in his own. "Mum, it's so good to see you. Was there something I could help you with today?"

"Oh no, dearie," she said with a maternal smile. Taking back one of her hands she lovingly cupped his left cheek. "See you doing well and being happy is all I ever wanted. But while I'm here, I thought I would meet the new associate I've heard so much about."

"All good, I hope," Kagome squeaked out from behind George. Her cheeks were dusted pink in bashfulness as she stepped into view. "Who knows what this guy told you at dinner last week?" She added while nudging him in the side and throwing him a wink.

"Actually it was Ron who told us that George here had a new assistant," Arthur Weasley stated with a smile as he placed an arm around his wife's shoulders. "It had been a while since we came to the shop, so we thought we'd come check in on George and meet his lovely new associate at the same time."

"Thank you," Kagome's blush deepened. If they kept embarrassing her like this she was surely going to match the magenta dress robes she wore. But she stood her ground and refused to shy away from the audience she now had. "I'm just thankful for the opportunity that your son has given me. He's been a terrific boss."

George felt his own face heating up and quickly turned away. "Yes, well, you've also been terrific," he muttered softly, before turning back to face his parents. "But we really must be getting back to work, don't we Kagome?"

She quickly nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, yes, very busy."

"Oh alright," Molly said with a huff, a small pout on her lips, obviously not happy that they were trying to pull away from her. "But only on one condition. I insist that Kagome joins us for dinner tomorrow."


	127. Chapter 127

**Fred**

George let out an exasperated groan as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mum, I hardly think Kagome would feel comfortable-"

"I'd love to!" Kagome hurriedly blurted out, interrupting her employer. Fred could tell she seemed a tad bit in a panic, but exuded her excitement toward the Weasley matriarch nonetheless.

George, slightly surprised, quickly grabbed her hand and started to drag her away from the family. "Excuse us one second," he called over his shoulder. Mum and dad didn't say anything in response, but did keep their eyes on the duo as George forcibly pulled Kagome away hand-in-hand.

They finally stopped just far enough away that no one but him could hear them speak. "Are you sure you want to do this?" George asked Kagome, looking into her eyes his own concern evident on his face. "I'm not going to be upset at you. I don't want you to feel forced into doing anything you don't actually want to do."

"Thank you," she responded, smiling up at him. "But I do want to go. Besides, I thought you said you 'wouldn't mind my company'?" She playfully mocked his English accent, eliciting a grin from him and his twin.

"Alright," George finally conceded with a sigh and a soft smile. "But we still have to be careful about not giving you away as a muggle."

"You'll do just fine," Fred added. "Besides, I'll be there to help coach you through anything you will need to know. I'll be your personal wizarding guidebook!"

Kagome's smile widened even more. "You see? Fred is going to be there to coach me! Don't you worry about little old me!" Without another word, she pulled away from his brother and marched back toward the Weasley family to confirm her attendance.

Running a hand through his hair, George shook his head and murmured, "I think I'll always worry about you…"


	128. Chapter 128

**Fred**

"Alright!" George grinned mischievously. George had set up the common room as a mini classroom. Kagome sat on the floor at the table with a quill in her right hand, a piece of parchment resting in front of her along with a small bottle of ink. His brother held a stack of moving photos in his hands.

Kagome held the quill awkwardly, even twirling it like a baton at times. "Do I really have to use this? It's strange."

"You're already strange enough being a muggle, living with a wizard, acting like a witch," George commented playfully. "You have to practice so that you can play the part. Make it look like you went to a magical school instead of a high school."

Kagome crossed her arms in a fake pout while Fred rolled his eyes. "Are you ready to begin, your highness?" He teased. They were getting ready to quiz her on the family members that they knew would be attending the dinner today.

Sticking her tongue out at him she turned her attention back to George. "Ready!" George held up the first picture. "That's Bill! He was attacked by a werewolf and that's why he has a scar on his face!"

"And he's married to Fleur. She attended Beauxbatons instead of Hogwarts and is part veela," Fred added. He knew that she didn't know what half the words he was using were, but she memorized them nonetheless, jotting down her notes. "She's also pregnant with Bill's child. It's a girl that they are naming Victoire."

She eagerly repeated back what he had said to George, earning a nod of approval. George held up the next picture. "Oh! I know this one!" She put her hands on the table excitedly. "Larry Potter! He's famous and I should think he's amazing!"

Fred face-palmed while George burst out laughing. "It's _Harry_ Potter," Fred corrected. "And don't worship him or anything. He's responsible for taking down Voldemort. Very important wizard."

"Yes, yes. Harry not Larry. Got it." Kagome nodded seriously as if she was absorbing this information thoroughly before stopping suddenly. "One quick question though."

"Shoot," both Weasley boys said simultaneously.

"Who's Voldemort again?"

Gred and Forge let out a groan.

Only a few hours left before dinner.


	129. Chapter 129

**George**

George beamed proudly at Kagome as she continued to get tested by Fred on the Weasley family members while sitting comfortably upon the couch. It had been a long morning, but he was confident that she was prepared to take on the group head on. After all, he wasn't really that worried about the family members that were going to be at dinner today.

If Hermione and Ginny were going to be there it would be another story. Even George wasn't sure how easily they'd be able to pull off scamming those two girls. Especially Hermione. She would notice right away something was amiss with Kagome. Thankfully, they had until holiday break started at Hogwarts before he and Fred needed to worry about pulling a fast one on Ms. Granger.

"Are you ready?" He interrupted the duo's study session, earning a nervous laugh from Kagome.

"I think so," she replied only half-confident in her answer. "And I'll have Fred there with me in case I get flustered which is an added bonus."

Fred was definitely going to end up being their secret weapon in this case. He'd never been thankful that his brother was dead and could only be seen by her until this moment. (Sounds horrible, doesn't it?) Granted, he never really would have met her had it not been for that important detail, and for that George was also thankful.

"We're going to take the Floo Network. I think that will be the best way to travel," George commented. "I think it would be best if we all try to go together. Will Fred be able to travel this way?"

She looked to her right, awaiting his brother's answer before she supplied, "He says he hasn't had a problem traveling with you the other times. He just has to make sure he's in there with us."

Luckily George had opted for a flat with a decent size fireplace. Turns out it came in handy in the end. Beckoning for them to join him, he grabbed a handful of the glittery, silver powder and threw it into the lit fire, instantly turning the flames emerald. Stepping into the flames he turned back to face and held out his hand to her "Let's go see the family."

With a smile, she placed her hand in his.


	130. Chapter 130

**George**

He made sure to go all the way to the side of the fireplace to allow enough room for the three of them to enter the hearth. Kagome's eyes reflected the emerald flames as she squeezed in between him and his brother. He gripped her left hand with his right and looked at her for the nod of approval. When he received it, he tightened his hold on her, and shouted firmly, "The Burrow!"

The world flew by around them as they zoomed past hundreds of other fireplaces connected to the Floo Network. Kagome tried to keep her eyes open as they travelled, but the fast paced rate quickly caught up to her and she shut them tight. He closed his eyes as well. George was used to the speedy floo method of traveling, but he remembered feeling slightly nauseous his first time using it. The whole process only takes a few moments, but for a beginner it feels like an hour.

Then, unexpectedly, George lost his hold on Kagome's hand. All of his worst fears immediately started to occur. Had she been lost to another fireplace in the network? Had he not been clear enough? Had she been snagged by someone else traveling by Floo Powder? Damn, he had forgotten to remind her to keep her elbows in tight and to be as still as possible.

Before he could really freak out, he felt a pair of arms snake their way around his waist, and a heavy weight on his chest. He looked down at her as his feet touched the ground, and took note of Kagome's now buried face against front. Her face was a smidgen pale, and the smile that was usually on her face was instead a thin line exuding her distaste of the experience.

"Didn't you used to travel through time? I'd think this would be a cakewalk, especially after enduring apparition already," George teased.

"Shut up," she murmured, looking up at him now red in the face. "They're all different in their own way. I'll get used to it."


	131. Chapter 131

**Fred**

Travelling by Floo Powder was a complete success as usual, not that he doubted it. For whatever reason being dead didn't interfere with his using the Floo Network so long as someone else was travelling. He didn't understand it but he didn't fight it either, because he certainly didn't want it to stop working. There were definitely times where he thought he was going to be lost during the process, but having Kagome would make it a lot easier since he would be able to hold on to her from now on.

Although she didn't look so good when they landed this time. He saw her suddenly cling to George in her nauseous state causing Fred to roll his eyes. If his suspicions (along with what he was certain his mother was suspecting) were correct, then Georgie was enjoying all the attention he was receiving from the little priestess. The git acted like no one else was around whenever he is focused on her.

Like now for example.

"Ahem," an older male cleared his voice on the other side of the room earning the attention of the oblivious duo standing in the fireplace. Arthur Weasley sat in his usual chair, awaiting the arrival of his family just like every Sunday, a copy of the latest _Daily Prophet_ in hand. "You may want to step into the house before someone else appears with you blocking the way. Charlie hasn't arrived yet."

Kagome casually released her hold from George and smiled warmly at their father. "It's a pleasure to see you again Mr. Weasley," she said with a slight bow. "Thank you for inviting me into your home."

Flustered, Arthur Weasley also bowed slightly. "We're happy to have you! Any _friend_ of George's is always welcome."

George buried his face in his hands while Fred sniggered.


	132. Chapter 132

**Fred**

The fireplace roared to life behind them, as if on cue from Arthur Weasley's words. Their brother Charlie instantly appeared there, donned in his usual singed dress robes while looking quite tired. "Ah, Charlie. We were just wondering where you were," their father said while walking forward and patting his boy on the back.

"Am I the last one to arrive then?" Charlie pondered out loud once he noticed that George was already here. Typically it was George who sauntered in last, ate dinner and went on his way back home. Charlie's gaze suddenly shifted toward Kagome who stood quietly behind George. "Well if it isn't the girl from the joke shop. Glad to see you accepted mum's invitation." The elder brother stepped forward and offered his hand to her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Charlie," Kagome responded while taking his hand in her own to shake. "I've heard all about you and your dragon breeding from your brother." Fred loved that she didn't specify which brother and sent her a thumb's up. She mentioned before that she wasn't a great liar, so she found ways around it. "I heard they were quite a sight at the tournament that Hogwarts held a few years ago. You must be very proud."

"And very impressed," Charlie responded, leaning down and pressing his lips against the back of her hand in gentlemanly, chaste little kiss. Charles was always a fan of flattery, especially since he was around more dragons than people most days. "Where has George been hiding you at?"

Kagome turned red as George stepped in between the two, instantly forcing Kagome's hand from Charlie's. "Stop harassing my employee."

Charlie clicked his tongue and made his way toward the kitchen, casually calling back, "No need to be so possessive, little brother."


	133. Chapter 133

**George**

George grumbled to himself as dad ushered them into The Burrow's make-shift kitchen and dining room. With the addition of himself and Kagome (as well as Fred unbeknownst to the rest of the Weasley clan), they were the last to arrive into the room and all eyes immediately went on them.

Or, really, all eyes landed on Kagome.

They acted like a hippogriff in a ballgown just walked into the room. Even Harry sent the both of them a sympathetic look, usually being the one that draws all stares and whispers whenever he walks into a room or building. No doubt he was thankful that the attention was finally off of him and on someone new. Although if they were out in public Harry would still be the victim of wide-eyes and gossip. George was trying to avoid that if at all possible with their little muggle employee.

"Oh Kagome dearie!" Mum absolutely beamed at the young girl and eagerly walked over to them. "I'm so glad you were able to join us. Please, come have a seat at the table!"

He frowned when she placed her hands on Kagome's shoulders and sat her down right next to Charlie, placing her near the center of the table. His elder brother sent him a smirk as Kagome settled into her seat. Disgruntled George placed himself on her right side. Percy sat on the other side of Charlie while across the table in order sat Ron, Harry, Bill, Fleur, and mom. Finally, dad sat down next to him and sent him a big paternal smile.

George instantly took focus on the empty plate before him mentally preparing himself for the next few hours. Now that the stage was set, it was time for the show to begin.


	134. Chapter 134

**George**

"Kagohmay! I am so excited you made eet," Fleur broke the ice by leaning toward the table as far as her heavily pregnant stomach would allow. "Please, ve must learn more about you. Vere you a Hogvarts student as vell? I do not recall seeing you at Beauxbatons."

"Oh no, I was born and raised in Japan," Kagome recited her line flawlessly. "I attended Mahoutokoro School of Magic. It's a smaller school, so it doesn't have houses like Hogwarts does. We are all just separated by year."

"Are you lot as good at potion making as the rest of the wizarding world is made to believe?" Bill asked curiously.

"Are you kidding?" Kagome scoffed while leaning forward, a smug look on her face. "I could brew up a Draught of Living Death when I was a second year."

Bill let out an impressed whistle. "That's N.E.W.T. level stuff, and you were only twelve? Wicked."

"It's just how we are taught," she casually shrugged it off. "But please, I am more interested in learning about all of you." She turned back to Fleur. "I heard about you and Harry participating in the tournament at Hogwarts. Even went against dragons!" Kagome nudged Charlie playfully much to George's chagrin. "Now _that_ must have been amazing."

"I got very lucky with a Common Velsh Green dragon. It was 'Arry that got the 'Ungarian 'orntail." Fleur commented nonchalantly.

"Both absolutely beautiful creatures," Charlie stated while throwing himself into the conversation. "I'm sure you would have loved to see them, Kagome. You should come visit the breeding site in Romania sometime."

"Dragons are quite lovely," Kagome agreed while managing to not accept or deny Charlie's invite. Which George greatly appreciated. "I had the pleasure of meeting a two-headed dragon once a long time ago back in my home country."

Charlie gaped. "A two-headed dragon? Even I haven't seen one of those."

"In all fairness I've only see one and it was owned by a very prominent figure," Kagome remarked. "But the dragon was very well trained. Its owner rode on it quite often."

"That sounds bloody awesome," Bill awed. "What made you leave Japan to come over here? I doubt your dream was to work at a joke shop."

Kagome let out a soft giggle as George rolled his eyes. "Well, no I definitely didn't come with any plans of that nature. I started travelling as a teenager, slowly making my way west is all."

"Like a nomad?" Harry asked, intrigued. "I remember reading about those in primary school a bit. So were you looking for anything in particular?"

"Hmmm, just something different I suppose." Kagome pondered out loud before turning and grinning at George while glancing above the table for a brief second. "But I think I definitely found it."

George slightly blushed in embarrassment and didn't pay any attention to the girlish look Fleur was sending him. He was going to try not to let anything get to him tonight at this dinner, save for Kagome herself.

"So how did you two meet then?" Mum questioned eagerly as she started to pour tea for her family member and guests that sat around the long table. Molly Weasley loved stories, she especially liked learning about how people become acquainted with one another because she enjoyed acquiring tidbits of knowledge that could be used for gossip later on.

"I know this one," Ron smirked. "Hannah told me that George bought her dinner at the Cauldron."

"She had been robbed by some muggle chavs," George clarified. "Found herself unable to pay the bill when Hannah gave it to her."

"George here was nice enough to be my knight in shining armor that evening," Kagome responded sweetly while playfully placing her head on his shoulder and looking up at him while batting her eyelashes rapidly. He responded teasingly by nudging her gently. Sitting up she added, "And he hasn't been able to get rid of me ever since."

"Did he actually try to though?" Charlie joked.

George pursed his lips together as Kagome let out a laugh.


	135. Chapter 135

**Fred**

Watching George squirm next to Kagome was absolutely hilarious. The boy looked like he could start sweating bullets any moment. He wasn't sure why George was so nervous, she was flawless in her performance and answered everyone's questions without hesitation and with confidence. At this rate it was going to be his twin that gave away their muggle secret and not the muggle herself.

Glancing down the table, he took in the silent form of Percy Weasley, who sat alone at the end of the table next to Charlie. As usual, the former head boy and current Head of the Department of Magical Transportation remained relatively quiet as he sipped on his tea. However, typically he was accompanied by his bride to be, Audrey. It appeared that this time she was unable to attend.

Knowing his elder brother, he was continuing to keep a keen ear on the conversation as it proceeded without any actual input from him. Perce had also been hit very hard with Fred's death. After pulling away from the family in favor of Crouch when the world questioned whether or not Voldemort had actually returned, he had just made up with the family right before the battle took place.

To make matters worse, Fred was in the middle of talking to Percy when that damned wall exploded and took him out. In the end, it was Percy Weasley that watched him die that night. Of course, the entire family took his death hard when it happened. But Perce was almost as bad as George when it came to being depressed and feeling guilty over the whole situation.

Fred just wished he could let Percy know he was doing alright. Perhaps if his older brother saw George moving on, Percy could do the same.


	136. Chapter 136

**Fred**

"Your parents must be worried sick about you traveling so far away from home on your own," Mum said as she started to place big bowls of food on the table. She had opted to serve a family style meal, meaning large plates of items that could be eaten buffet style. It was reminiscent of all the Hogwarts meals that they used to share as students. Large dishes of mashed potatoes, cooked carrots, rolls, gravy, and finally steak and kidney pudding were levitated to the table before all of its guests along with plates and silverware. "Have you been traveling long? Do you go visit them often?"

Kagome watched with awe as china and cutlery quickly floated over to her and landed gently on the table before her. "Back home it's just my mother, brother and grandfather. My father passed away when I was little."

"Tell them you're a muggle-born. Makes things easier when it comes to preventing mum and dad from instantly deciding we should go visit your family in Japan," Fred advised. That would be the last thing they needed. Even if Kagome's family would be likely to believe in witches and wizards after her adventures in the past, they didn't really need any more muggles being informed unnecessarily.

"I'm actually a muggle born," Kagome quickly added, listening to Fred's instruction and earning a soft nod from George. "First witch born in the family as far as we know. But to be honest I don't know too much history on my father's side."

"Your mother must be very proud then," Molly Weasley beamed as she sat down finally.

"My mom is extremely proud of me. Tells me all the time," Kagome muttered slightly blushing. "My brother on the other hand is always jealous of all the cool things I get to do."


	137. Chapter 137

**George**

Dinner was wrapping up and everything was going smoother than George had ever hoped it would. If he hadn't introduced her to the wizarding world himself he would actually believe that Kagome Higurashi was a bona fide witch through and through. Granted, it definitely didn't hurt that Fred was there supplying her with information and answers to questions as they were presented.

"Hm," Kagome sat back on the bench, tapping her finger against her lips as if in deep thought. Little did everyone else know, she was listening to the latest thing Fred had to say. "I do love the Weird Sisters, but I think I prefer The Rhythmic Runes just a little bit more."

At the end of the table Ron and Harry let out a groan, while Fleur clapped her hands in delight. "Deez boyz do not know vhat zey are talking about! Zey are ze best band!"

"They're overrated is what they are," Ron added into the conversation. "You girls are wrong to think that the Weird Sisters aren't better than those rusty Runes."

"Just remember Ron," Kagome leaned forward, eyes dancing playfully. "Right to an option doesn't make the opinion right."

"Yeah, says you," Ron grumbled grabbing his tea cup and bringing it to his lips. "You sound like Hermione…"

"Beats looking like a call prostitute then, hm?" Kagome teased, causing the youngest male Weasley to choke on his beverage and sputter it all over himself. The rest of the table was laughing hard at this point. Even mum was trying hard not to laugh.

Ron instantly glared across the table toward him. "Did you tell her about that? Bloody hell George!"

George held up his hands defensively while smirking. "Don't look at me mate."

Kagome giggled. "No unfortunately Ron, you and Verity will have to find a new breakroom topic. For I am proud to announced that I am in fact not a call girl."

Ronald Weasley's face flushed darker than his hair.


	138. Chapter 138

**George**

"Well this has been a fantastic dinner, but I think this might be enough interrogation for one night. Kagome and I should take our leave," George said with a smile towards his family as he stood up. Offering his hand out for her to take, she accepted by placing her small hand in his and helped her stand.

"Why is it that just because you want to leave, that Kagome has to as well?" Charlie questioned, while lazily leaning his elbow on the table and using his hand to prop up his head. "I can make sure she makes it home okay."

"It is awfully early for you to be heading out, dearie," Mum was on the verge of putting on a pouty face, and George wasn't sure if he could resist that. She just looked so sad… "It's only five thirty."

"I have an idea," dad interjected. "It's been awhile since you lot have had a mini Quidditch match outside…Maybe you could play without a seeker?"

Ron and Harry's faces instantly lit up, along with Kagome's next to him. She had never been taught anything about Quidditch, so this would be a learning experience for her.

"Don't you think Ginny will be upset that we played without her?" George countered, not sure if he should have this particular wizarding lesson in front of the entire family.

The rest of the boys (except for Percy who didn't particularly care one way or another) cried out in protest. "Consider it practice for when she comes home. I heard she's a wicked Chaser for Gryffindor. Told me she might try to go professional even," Harry offered.

Kagome paid close attention to the conversation, absorbing as much information as possible, and more than likely listening to whatever advice Fred had to offer. "Mahoutokoro didn't require us to take flying lessons, so I wouldn't be able to play. But I'd love to watch!" She finally exclaimed while looking at George with pleading eyes.

George let out a sigh and slumped his shoulders in defeat.


	139. Chapter 139

**George**

Kagome bounced where she stood anxiously awaiting for the show to begin. Mum conjured up a chair for Fleur to rest in comfortably and watch from the sidelines. The Weasley boys and Harry stood in the open field where Bill and Fleur were married just a year and a half ago except this time there was no giant tent housing them all. Even better, there were no Death Eaters trying to go after anyone either.

"There are typically seven members on each Quidditch Time. You have one keeper who acts as a protector of the goals, three chasers who are in charge of getting the Quaffle through one of the three rings of the opposing team, two beaters who can use their bats to send agitated balls known as Bludgers at opposing players or to defend their own players, and finally one seeker who is in charge of locating a small ball with wings known as the Golden Snitch. Quaffle goals are worth ten points each and whichever team's seeker catches the Snitch gets 150 points and ultimately ends the game," Fred did his best to explain the game as quickly as possible as the scene was set.

They had already laid out the ground rules. Each side was going to only play with one Chaser, one Keeper, and one Beater. They had opted out of using seekers since they didn't have enough players this time. The teams are old school vs new school: George, Harry and Ron vs Charlie, Bill, and Percy. George took up his old position of Beater against Charlie while Ron took up his one time Gryffindor position of Keeper against Percy who wanted the easiest position possible (especially since truthfully the former head boy didn't want to play at all). Finally, since there would be no Seeker position, Harry decided to take a shot as Chaser against Bill.

Dad took it upon himself to act as referee and grabbed the small chest containing all of the Quidditch balls as the boys each grabbed their brooms, preparing for battle. "Alright boys, let's give the ladies a show, shall we? First team to ten goals wins."


	140. Chapter 140

**Fred**

The boys all mounted their brooms and kicked off into the air. George glanced back toward Kagome to see her reaction and was not disappointed to see the look of awe on her face. Fred rolled his eyes at his brother's antics. A little over a week ago he was ready to kill the young woman for even suggesting that she could see him. Now the prat was making all but googly eyes at her.

Not that she seemed to pay any attention to it.

In fact, she was probably completely clueless to it, more enthralled with learning and adapting to the magical world she currently inhabited. Based on what he has witnessed so far, she truly seemed to be enjoying herself. Which was a good thing. Fred loved his brother, but she needed to be worrying about how to help him get his body back or something rather than reciprocating whatever crush his brother might have on her.

Dad tossed the Quaffle into the air and Bill was quick to snatch the ball just out of Harry's grasp, taking off towards the goal Ron was guarding. "Not so fast without your fancy Firebolt broomstick are you?" Bill taunted over his shoulder. Gripping the ball in his right hand, Bill pulled back and chucked it towards the left ring.

But Ron quickly pulled his weight by using the back end of his broom as a bat, and swatting the Quaffle out of the way and directly into Harry's hands. The boy-who-lived turned and stuck his tongue out at Bill childishly. "I don't have to be fast, just more skillful," Harry goaded while speeding off in the direction of Percy's goal posts and successfully hurling the Quaffle through the middle ring.

"Oh come on Perce!" Charlie called out taking a swing at the Bludger that had decided to hurl itself at the dragon trainer. "You're not even trying!"

Percy snorted and gripped the edge of the broom as Harry raced towards him again with the Quaffle. Taking a page out of Ron's book, the Ministry worker smacked the ball with end of his broom and grinned as it was sent flying across the small playing field through the right goal post. The entire family gaped at the middle son who merely shrugged and countered, "I'm sorry, who's not trying?"


	141. Chapter 141

**George**

George felt great. In fact, he felt fantastic. Since his Hogwarts days he had truly forgotten how wonderful it felt to play Quidditch, even if it was just a small match with his own family. The Weasley's had always been pretty competitive with other people, but even more so with each other. Their current score reflected that as well being tied 9-9, and Bill had the Quaffle.

Spotting a Bludger heading his way, George tightened his grip on his bat and swung hard, colliding with the flying mass. The ball instantly changed its course, heading in the direction of Bill who raced towards Ron's goal. But Charlie wasn't ready for the younger team to take the lead, speeding up to his elder brother.

"Not on my watch!" Charlie shouted proudly while using his own bat to swing at the Bludger, not taking any particular aim.

Unfortunately not aiming turned out to be a disastrous decision. Out of habit, George continued to keep his eye on the bludger and was horrified to see that it was now making its way over to the onlookers of the game: right towards a very pregnant Fleur. There was no way he could make it over to her fast enough, and being so far along in her pregnancy she wouldn't be able to move fast enough.

To his surprise, Kagome quickly ran towards the ball head on. Opening her arms wide she quickly wrapped them around the ball against her stomach, enveloping it against her body tightly. The momentum knocked her down to the ground, where she continued to hold the Bludger firmly, even as it tried to escape her grasp.

George and Bill were the first to react, abandoning both their brooms and positions in favor of the women watching from the sidelines. But George had his focus purely on Kagome who remained on the ground, praying to whatever higher power may or may not exist that she be alright.


	142. Chapter 142

**George**

His heart was racing as he knelt down beside his roommate. George paid no attention to anyone else in the vicinity, focusing in on only her. She hadn't moved since she hit the ground, but she hadn't lost her hold on the Bludger wildly trying to bounce around her arms either. Her eyes were shut tight as she lay on her back on the ground, hair scattered wildly around her entangling itself in the grass.

He murmured her name, hoping to elicit some sort of response or movement from her. He was relieved to see her crack an eye and send him a feeble grin. "I'd make a great catcher," she joked, voice a little rusty from having the wind knocked out of her.

"This isn't baseball, you nut," George teased back softly. Pulling out his wand, he quickly froze the frantic ball in her arms and took it from her.

Dad plopping the chest that they kept all the Quidditch balls in brought George's attention back to the fact that they weren't the only two there. Locking the Bludger in it's rightful place, he noticed all eyes on him and Kagome.

Fleur still hadn't moved, still a little shocked that she had almost been taken out by agitated game ball. Tears softly trailed down her cheeks as Bill stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders sweetly whispering, "You're alright love."

Mum's mother mode kicked in quickly, ushering for the boys to give Kagome some room. "Can you get up dearie? Let's get you checked out inside. I've already got a fresh kettle on for some nice hot tea."

Kagome winced as she tried to sit up, bringing one hand to her stomach. "I'll meet you inside. Not sure I can make it on my own just yet."

But that was all the reasoning he needed to hear. Not thinking twice about it, George instantly scooped her up into his arms bridal style.


	143. Chapter 143

**Fred**

"George!" She squeaked out in protest, rapidly flushing but not pushing George away.

Fred lazily floated above her and his brother as they walked into the house. "Just let him do this," Fred instructed, hands resting behind his head. "Not like he wouldn't do it anyway. Gryffindors love to come to the rescue. In fact, after your little display of heroics, I wouldn't have been surprised if you would have been sorted into Gryffindor if you had attended Hogwarts."

Kagome smiled up at him, acknowledging the kind words Fred was bestowing on her. Of course, she probably didn't see herself as a hero. Based on the way she modestly told her story about her adventures in the past, she more than likely didn't take enough credit for getting rid of that Naraku fellow. He would love to hear someone else's point of view on Kagome and her time traveling.

As George placed her on the couch in the sitting area, mum quickly brought over a hot cup of tea for her and set it on the side table. Charlie followed closely behind and instantly took her hand in his, much to George's chagrin. "Oh Kagome, I am so sorry! This is all my fault! Can you ever forgive me for not paying close enough attention?"

"Consider yourself already forgiven. Besides, these things just happen," Kagome nonchalantly stated while using her free hand to pat Charlie on the head and wiggling her other one out of his grasp.

"That's enough you two," Molly Weasley commanded sternly while ushering both Charlie and George aside. Turning her attention back to Kagome, she sweetly said, "Now then, let's take a look at you shall we?"

Nodding, Kagome lifted her shirt up to her bosom, revealing the entirety of her stomach to them. Of course, they weren't surprised to see a large circular red mark on her abdomen where the Bludger struck. It was definitely going to leave a painful bruise.

But the starburst scar on her side certainly didn't go unnoticed by the set of twins.


	144. Chapter 144

**Fred**

"Bloody Hell…" The twins muttered out at the same time.

"Is that where that centipede lady bit you at the beginning of your story?" Fred asked in awe, secretly wanting to touch her scar and see if it felt as bad as it looked. It was little moments like this that reassured to them that her travels through time were very real. He couldn't even imagine experiencing the pain she must have felt when that demon's sharp teeth ripped into her side. He was glad that he didn't remember feeling anything from his own death and that it was instantaneous.

"Seems like you've gotten yourself into some trouble before," Molly Weasley mused out loud pointing out Kagome's scar. Now that the rest of the family had managed to make it into the sitting room from outside, the priestess was acting as the center of attention. "That must have quite the back story."

Kagome let out a nervous laugh in response. "Nothing glamorous, really. Just a nasty bite I received in my last year while tending to some creatures."

"What kind of creature did _that_?"Harry asked curiously. After all, the boy-who-lived had been attacked by enough people or creatures of his own in his life.

"Acromantula!" Fred quickly spouted out in a panic. Honestly, it was the first oversized creature that came to mind. "Tell them it was Acromantula!"

She repeated as she was told, earning a whimper from Ron. "Of course it was Acromantula! Those giant spiders are ruthless. Tried to eat Harry and me too!"

Nodding her head in agreement, Kagome added. "Oh yes, spiders and I don't get along at all."

The inhabitants of The Burrow truly had no idea how much her and a certain spider truly did not get along.


	145. Chapter 145

**George**

"Well, I think this time I really should be getting Kagome home," George said, offering her his hand in assistance. Too many questions could lead to a bad time in his opinion. If either of them slipped it could lead to any one of the family members doubting Kagome's back story. Especially with dad and Percy both working for the Ministry, it would be easy to look up that she isn't even a registered witch.

Wincing a bit as she sat up, she eagerly accepted his help and took her place next to him. "Thank you so much for having me," Kagome smiled around the room at the large Weasley family. "I had a wonderful time."

"I should be thanking you!" Fleur cried out gripping her large belly. "I vould not 'ave made it out of ze vay of zat Bludger on my own. So, thank you."

Kagome shrugged it off nonchalantly. "It was the right thing to do. I couldn't stand by and let anything happen to someone else while I was just standing there. If I can help in anyway, I try to."

"Well," Arthur started while placing an arm around his wife. "I think I speak for all of us when I say you're welcome here anytime." The rest of the Weasley family plus Harry and Fleur nodded their heads in agreement.

Kagome grinned. "Be careful or I might just take you up on your offer." Looking back at George, she nodded her head signaling that she was ready to go, and the duo made their way to the fireplace.

"Do you have everything you need?" He mumbled just soft enough for her to hear referring to Fred who was hopefully hanging out near by. Jutting her left elbow out, she placed her hand on her stomach as if holding it steady. When her arm shifted closer to her body, he knew that Fred had linked arms with her to ensure that they all travelled safely through the Floo Network.

Stepping into the hearth, George turned around and gave one last wave to his family before whisking him, his brother, and Kagome back home.


	146. Chapter 146

**George**

Kagome instantly fell forward on to the bed as soon as they arrived home. Letting out a groan she said, "I'm so full and tired!"

"You probably shouldn't be on your stomach like that," George commented, leaning against the door frame to their shared room. "You're going to aggravate that bruise of yours."

"Calm down, mom," she teased while rolling over and resting on her elbows. Without warning she lifted up her shirt again to reveal her abdomen. The large round bruise that once covered the majority of her stomach was now faded and almost completely gone, as though it had healed for quite a few days instead of less than an hour. "See? It'll be gone in an hour, two tops."

"Well, until then, you need to stay off of it," George added, clicking his tongue in annoyance. As he walked over to join her on the bed, she continued to look at the door, more than likely paying attention to whatever it is Fred had to say or ask.

"Yes, being a priestess does contribute to my faster healing rate," Kagome answered out in a complete sentence, more than likely to include him in the conversation or keep him up to speed. "As for the scar on my side, for some reason that one never did heal. It might be because it happened before I was truly able to awaken my priestess powers, or it could be because it was tied to releasing the jewel itself. I don't truly know unfortunately."

"Well, at least you have a cool story to go with it," George offered with a grin. "Oh, how'd I get this?" he mocked her in an exaggerated higher pitched voice, "No biggie, just had my side ripped off by a giant centipede lady that happens to be a demon."

She grabbed a pillow nearby and quickly smacked him in the face with it.


	147. Chapter 147

**Fred**

"Who tries to kill a baby, honestly?" Kagome remarked disgusted before tossing a handful of freshly popped popcorn into her mouth and chewing obnoxiously loud.

It's been a few days since her first Weasley Sunday night dinner and the trio had spent the evenings slowly informing Kagome of the past couple decades in Wizarding World news. Mainly everything involved in both Wizarding Wars. Fred had just got done going over the whole prophecy nonsense and how it lead to Harry Potter being selected as the Chosen One that Voldemort tried to destroy in an effort to guarantee his own success.

"Yeah supposedly the Dark Lord was a rather smart fellow, but in this particular case he wasn't," Fred stated while floating next to her, wishing that he too could enjoy the buttery popcorn that the priestess was currently enjoying. If he ever did get his body back, the first thing he is going to do is eat an entire buffet's worth of food, with everything on the menu. "You remember me telling you about him experimenting with making those Horcruxes earlier? Well, he accidently managed to make Harry one after he killed Harry's mother, Lily Evans."

"That is awful," Kagome exclaimed. "Not only did the poor kid lose his parents in one night, but he gets part of an evil wizard's soul forced into him too? Such a shame. No wonder he became famous. Especially since Voldemort ended up getting himself destroyed in the process."

George walked into the living room area, plopping down on the couch next to Kagome, his own bowl of popcorn in hand. "So, where are we at in the story?"

Fred glared at the duo as they ate their snacks, and crossed his arms. Stupid living people with their ability to eat all the food they want...


	148. Chapter 148

**Fred**

"Voldemort doesn't sound like he was all that intimidating," Kagome pondered out loud dangerously. She held her now empty bowl in her lap, eyeing the half-eaten bowl that rested in George's.

The two men merely gaped at her in disbelief while she took the moment of silence as an opportunity to commandeer some of George's popcorn for herself. Although they were nowhere near done with telling her about all the horrors that Tom Riddle inflicted on the Wizarding World, she had heard about his initial rise to power and the lives lost during the first war. "Dare we even ask why?" Fred questioned out loud, while his brother's mouth continued to hang open.

"Well, he sounds an awful lot like a teenage girl what with all the Horcruxes he chose to make. Let's see… he had the professor with a turban that he controlled, a favorite cup, a locket, a diadem, a ring, a pet that he kept with him at all times," Kagome counted on her fingers as she spoke. "Oh, and a teenage boy he was obsessed with. Which one am I missing?"

"The diary," the twins supplied together monotonously.

"The diary!" Kagome echoed triumphantly, a grin adorning her face. "Of course, how could I forget the diary?"

George snorted unimpressed. "Yes, well if you had been involved in the war or during reign of terror, you probably wouldn't have been running around calling Voldemort a teenage girl."

"George is right," Fred pointed out. "You would have been as scared as most of the witches and wizards. What do you think you would have done?"

Kagome shrugged. "Probably stalk and kill him much like we did Naraku. It's better to try and make a difference than live in fear."

The real questions was, what kind of a difference would Kagome have made if she had been a part of the Order of the Phoenix?


	149. Chapter 149

**George**

"You can't compare our war with your war," George stated, a little put off by her nonchalant attitude. "Hundreds of witches and wizards died. Fred died. The modern world as we know it could have been altered."

Kagome furrowed her brow at him, looking at him perplexed. "George, I'm not trying to downplay the importance of your war with Voldemort. And I'm definitely not trying to make comparisons," she defended. "War is terrible no matter when and where it is, leading to unnecessary lives lost. The biggest difference between our wars was the fact that yours involved magic."

"What does magic have to do with it?" George questioned, confused. Death is death after all.

"That spell you told me about… The Killing Curse, thank you Fred, makes things quick and ultimately painless," Kagome curled up on the couch, bringing here knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "Being torn away from my friends was painful and unexpected, but the hardest thing I went through was burying all the bodies. Bodies that were missing heads and limbs… with frightened eyes and hollowed expressions… The blood stained ground and rivers… Completely decimated villages…. It was nightmare inducing…" She shivered and gripped her legs tighter before burying her face into her knees.

That was one thing they definitely had in common: the nightmares. He hadn't slept for well for months, replaying Fred's death over and over again. At least all the funerals he attended had bodies that were intact. He couldn't imagine the horrible dreams he would have had if he'd witnessed so much bloodshed and pain. She had mentioned before that she couldn't sleep alone very well. Now he understood why.

With a sigh George apologized. "I know you would never try to compare your hardships with ours. I'm so sorry." She was too kind and caring to ever do such a thing.


	150. Chapter 150

**Fred**

He wasn't going to lie, this conversation shifted to awkward really fast. Talking about death and burying the deceased when he was the one that was actually dead was… well… weird. He wasn't going to go on to say that the duo was being rather insensitive at the moment… but bloody hell was he ready to move on with the story.

Kagome suddenly turned her head on her knees and looked at him, noticing his slightly agitated facade. "I'm sorry Fred. I know death has been hard on you."

He sent her a soft smile before placing himself on the couch on the other side of her. "It's been difficult before, but a little easier since you came into our lives." He gently nudged her. "But at least I died in one piece. Georgie here lost a limb."

"He did?" She asked, perking up in surprise and turning her attention to his twin. She was looking him over meticulously, trying to find a trace of what limb George could possibly be missing.

George leaned back against the arm of the couch as she leaned closer. "Er…. I did what now?"

"He lost his right ear," Fred finally clarified for her. "It's why he keeps his hair longer."

She was quick to take action, leaning even further forward and using her left hand to pin George's hair back by cupping the back right side of his head. George took in a sharp breath and shook his head in an attempt to loosen her hold on him as his face quickly turned red. But her grip was steady and she continued to observe the empty spot where George's ear used to be. "I'm so sorry!" She suddenly called out heartfully. "Here I am blabbing about people loosing their body parts when you lost your own!"

"It's not like I go around bragging about it," George mumbled, embarrassed that his secret had been discovered so soon.

Fred didn't really understand why George was so upset about it now. Bloke was joking about it when it happened, even daring to say that he still looked better than him. "Said he felt saintlike when it happened."

"Saintlike?" Kagome echoed confused, only resulting in George's face flushing even more.

"Because I'm holey…" George all but whispered, his gaze suddenly finding focus on his lap.

Kagome blinked a few times, absorbing what was just said. She turned to look at Fred who shrugged in response with a grin on his face before turning back to George. Then, she started laughing before removing her hand from his brother's hair. "Holey!" She repeated gleefully. "That's a terrible joke."

"Made _you_ laugh." The twins commented in unison, which only resulted in her laughing even harder.


	151. Chapter 151

**George**

Seeing her laugh so cheerily filled him with a comforting warmth that he couldn't explain. It filled his chest and spilled over into his stomach seeping slowly through the rest of his body. Like drinking hot cocoa on Christmas morning surrounded by presents and family members. But he wasn't surrounded by friends and family… he was surrounded by _her_ … enveloped in her vivacity.

"The only person that's allowed to be holy around here is me!" Kagome boasted proudly while jabbing herself playfully in the chest with her thumb.

"Well that will be difficult, little priestess," George smirked. "Because I too am holey! And there's nothing you can do to fix that."

Determination sparked in her eyes as she narrowed them at him. "Excuse me? That sounds like a challenge. Besides, haven't you wizards figured out how to grow back limbs? That's what your magic is for!"

"Normally we can," George started while pointing at his missing ear. "However, this was taken off by _dark_ magic."

She tilted her head to the side, thinking. Or listening to Fred say whatever it is he had to say. Honestly, the biggest thing that bothered him now was that he didn't know what his twin was saying (or when he was saying it). Thankfully, Kagome was usually polite enough to speak in complete sentences when responding to Fred, so that he could get an idea as to what was asked or said. Usually.

"Why, yes Fred, I think so…" she mused out loud before taking his head in her hands.

"I… you… what are you doing?" George stumbled over his words avoiding making eye contact with her in fear of his face matching his hair.

But her sapphire eyes were dazzling with excitement and he couldn't help but be drawn into them. "I can help fix it!" She exclaimed with a bright smile. "Do you want me to help you get your ear back?"


	152. Chapter 152

**Fred**

George stared at her incredulously. Honestly, he wasn't sure if the bloke was looking at her in awe or like she was looney. Either way his twin hadn't responded yet to Kagome's offer, so he made the decision for him.

"Of course he wants his ear back!" Fred exclaimed behind her. "He wants to look like his dashing brother again."

Kagome let out an amused hum. "Yep, that's the reason he needs it back. So that he and his ghostly twin can be indistinguishable."

"Your claws are showing again," Fred teased before she turned and stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're joking with me right?" George nervously laughed. "You can't really heal me… can you?"

"I'm offended," Kagome said, feigning a hurt expression. "While I can't make your ear grow back, I'm assuming you have a potion or a spell of some sort for that, I can get rid of that dark block on the side of your head! After all, us priestesses would be the equivalent of what you would call light magic users."

"How would you know if your powers worked?" Fred questioned.

"Well, I couldn't see it before because it's so small, just covering where George's ear should be. But I can sense the dark magic attached to the side of his head. It's like a bandage made of dark magic acting as a blockade against him," Kagome explained. "If I can't sense it anymore then I'm going to assume I was successful in purifying it away."

"Well, I don't see the harm in trying," Fred said with a shrug, looking at his brother who had remained quiet.

"I don't see the harm in trying either. My magic can't hurt humans," Kagome added. "So as long as George isn't secretly a demon, we should be good!"


	153. Chapter 153

**George**

"Good news is the last time I checked I was not a demon," George finally commented with a smirk. "But that was a few years ago so things could have changed since then."

Kagome rolled her eyes before punching him in the arm playfully. "Are you going to let me do this, or not?"

George hesitated again. He was being stupid. Of course he wanted his ear back. He'd been without it for over a year now, and half of that time he was pretty positive mum and dad used it as a distinguishing factor between him and his brother. Granted, now that there was a lack of twin (or at least, lack of visible twin) so being able to tell the difference between the two Weasley boys wasn't necessary. Here he was with the opportunity to get his ear back, and Fred couldn't get his body back. In a way, he felt like asking for this was unfair to his brother.

But Kagome could make him feel whole again.

He wanted to be selfish dammit.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Surely Fred would forgive him. Taking her hand in his, he opened his eyes and took in Kagome's anxious ones. "Let's do this!"

"That's the spirit!" She exclaimed delighted. "No offense Fred."

"So what exactly do I have to do?" George asked, ready to get going as soon as possible.

"Just sit there and let me do all the work." Kagome stood up in front of him and placed her hands on either side of his head over his ear and where his other ear should be. He peered up at her, curious as to what was going to happen next. When her eyes met his gaze she immediately flushed. "Close your eyes! It's embarrassing for you to watch me!"


	154. Chapter 154

**Fred**

George did what he was told, instantly shutting his eyes at her request. Fred watched her curiously as she appeared to mentally prepare herself for whatever it is she was going to do to get rid of the dark magic preventing George from successfully grow his ear back. He apparently got too close to the priestess because she suddenly peered at him before muttering, "You too Fred, close your eyes."

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Fred closed his eyes as he floated out of her line of sight. But true to his mischievous nature, he was unable to abide by her wishes for very long. Cracking an eye to peek at what was happening, he took in Kagome's form before opening them completely. She was kneeling down as George leaned forward on the couch, eyes still closed. Both hands remained placed on either side of his brother's head. However there was one big difference.

She was glowing.

Her entire body was radiating a light pink color, so light it was almost white. It gave her an unearthly and ethereal appearance. It honestly reminded him of what the ghosts at Hogwarts looked like when the travelled around the campus. But her powers didn't stop at simply making her look pretty. The light was slowly spreading down George's body, before he too was completely enveloped in her powers and giving off the eerie glow.

Fred was mesmerized by the event, but curious as to if it was actually working to get rid of the dark magic preventing George from recovering his ear back. Since he himself couldn't sense dark magic on a person's being, he had no real indicator as to if or when she would be successful. But hopefully her powers were functioning the way she intended for them to.

Enchanted, he did what any one looking at something shiney would do: he reached out and touched her.


	155. Chapter 155

**George**

It was very quiet.

He had respectfully done as he was told by closing his eyes and not watching the priestess work her own magic on him. But George was starting to get restless. He clenched his hands as they rested against his legs. Would this work? Is it working? When would he know it worked? How long would it take? Time was dragging on, but in reality he had only had his eyes closed but a couple of minutes.

Unfortunately he would have to go against her wishes. Certainly a quick peek wouldn't hurt anything.

Slowly he opened his eyes. They only widened at surprise at what he was witnessing and he felt his breath hitch in his throat. She was emitting a soft glow and was surprised to find that it had spread from her person to his own. Wandless magic was certainly not a new concept, but seeing someone who isn't a witch produce magic was unheard of and seeing it up close was a treat. Her magic was definitely unique to witness.

Kagome looked absolutely angelic.

He was so busy staring at her, that he failed to notice her power spreading out behind her at first. It snaked through the air, finally grabbing his attention when the floating glow dramatically increased in size. George carefully watched it expand until he realized that the glow looked like a person. But not just any person.

It looked exactly like him.

Heartbeat quickening, he watched in anticipation as the form acquired more details... including both ears. Once again his breath was taken from him. It was Fred. Fred was actually visible in front of him. For the first time in over six months he could see his twin brother. Kind of.

But as quickly as he formed, Fred disappeared at the same time Kagome let out a gasp and her ethereal glow disappeared.


	156. Chapter 156

**Fred**

Watching her powers overtake him was a strangely satisfying experience. Because her magic was a part of her, it was able to affect him as well. It exuded a warmth that was not lost on this particular spirit. He wanted it to continue to envelope him and last a lifetime.

The best part up was when he looked up from over Kagome's shoulder, he made eye contact with his brother who was staring at him in surprise. Finally George was able to see him for the first time. He could finally admit that Kagome was one hundred percent sane and not stringing him along.

But as quickly as her powers appeared, they disappeared. Letting out a gasp, her glow dissolved and so did his seemingly physical existence. George's attention was immediately drawn to the priestess as she fell sideways onto the floor. They were both by her side an instant, asking if she was alright. "Yes." She answered quickly trying to prop herself up by her elbows. "I don't know what happened. I was so focused… It was like my powers suddenly rapidly drained…" She furrowed her brow in confusion, trying to dissect on her own exactly what happened.

Fred immediately felt guilty. He knew it was his fault for touching her. Having her powers work on a pure soul or spirit probably was the reason. Not that he had the definite answer or anything, but it was a pretty good guess. George glanced in his general area knowingly as well, choosing not to comment on it.

"All that matters is that you're okay," George said, scooping her up into his arms without protest and placing her gently on the couch. "You are okay, aren't you?"

She offered him a thumbs up and a sly grin. "I have to start meditating again or something. Since I didn't have to use my powers this past year, I'm getting rusty. Collapsing twice now? Disgraceful."


	157. Chapter 157

**George**

"You're anything but a disgrace," George countered. She was typically so positive and reassuring. This negative side was new, and he honestly didn't want it sticking around.

"Well, I know someone that would disagree with you. Thankfully they aren't here to let me know that," she let out a nervous laugh before sitting up on the couch, slowly regaining her strength back. "But hey, enough about that. Don't you have an ear to regrow or something?"

George perked up at her question. How could he have forgotten the whole reason she was using her powers in the first place? "Do you think it'll work? Is the dark magic gone?"

Standing up she cocked her hip out, gently resting one hand on it while her other dangled at her side, a look of playful disgust adorning her face. "Are you questioning me? Do you remember what happened the last time you questioned me?"

George rolled his eyes. "You're never going to let up on the fact that I almost got you run over by a bus are you?" With a sly grin she shook her head. Letting out a groan, he fetched his wand from the table and briskly walked to the bathroom. He didn't want to admit it, but he was too embarrassed to test the spell in front of her, and he certainly hoped Fred wasn't secretly tagging along either.

Shutting the door behind him, he took a deep breath before looking in the mirror. It had been a while since he truly looked at himself. For the first time he didn't see a sad and broken image of a man who couldn't save his twin brother. For the first time he didn't see Fred staring back at him. For the first time he didn't feel like destroying the mirror in retaliation. And for the first time, he realized that he was okay.

With a sudden boost of self-reassurance, he raised his wand.


	158. Chapter 158

**Fred**

He watched the closed door from the other side of the room alongside Kagome. She sat on the couch, tapping her feet on the ground anxiously while clutching the seat cushions. Fred in the meantime sat cross-legged in the air, hands in his lap.

"You're lucky there's not actually a tenant below us," he commented while watching the jittery priestess. "George paid extra and the witch we rent from turned it into a basement for us and our experiments."

" _Experiments_?" She echoed, a little disgusted. "Not sure how I feel about that, really."

Fred smirked, floating a little closer to her, but noticing that her bouncing stopped. "Well, clearly we had some profitable little experiments. Ones that are highly sought after, actually."

"Yes, yes we all know that the two of you are very successful and quite wealthy. I'm so fortunate to work for a well-off company such as yours," Kagome responded sarcastically.

"And for wonderful bosses!" Fred grinned playfully. "Who let you live with us for free, and pay you so generously for being such a wonderful assistant."

Kagome rolled her eyes before falling back dramatically on the couch, letting out a sigh. "I am gracious to you both," she all but whispered. "Which is why I hope this works."

"Hope?" He questioned. What was with the attitude change? She was so certain before… He didn't like watching her resolve waver like this. Where was her confidence? Where was her assurance in every little thing she said? Her every action that led her to this exact point in time bringing the three of them together? Where was that priestess at tonight. Perhaps using too much of her powers took a bigger toll on her than he thought, making him feel guilty once more for using her powers to his advantage earlier.

She turned to him, sending him a small smile. "I know it will work. Sometimes I doubt myself when I get too anxious is all."

He was going to respond and let her know how silly she is to ever doubt herself, but both of their attentions immediately snapped to the bathroom when they heard the door slowly open.


	159. Chapter 159

**George**

Opening the door slowly, George stepped out into the public area of his flat where Fred and Kagome waited patiently for him. She was on the couch, watching him expectantly as he turned to look at her. She quickly scrambled to her feet, hands gripping and playing with the edge of her shirt in anxiousness. His longer hair was down, completely covering the sides of his head not revealing any information to anyone.

The two stared at one another silently, a stoic look on his face as to not give anything away. With as much as she was fumbling with her clothes, he thought she would tear them any minute. Finally, when the silence was too much to bear couldn't help but blurt out, "Well?! We're waiting!"

He let out a long sigh, allowing a solemn look to overtake him as he walked towards her. "All that matters is that you were willing to try and help me…"

Her hands immediately flew up to her face, half covering her mouth. "No…" she whispered out, looking as though tears might fall from her sky-like eyes. "George I'm so sorry! I truly thought that I-"

"Would be successful?" He finished, while walking toward her. She nodded slowly, shifting her own gaze toward her feet in shame. "Well you were right to think that way."

She immediately snapped her attention back to him while he pushed his hair back to reveal two completely normal looking ears. "It worked?" she mumbled to herself, wide-eyed.

"It worked!" He called out. She let out a squeal in excitement as he placed his hands on her waist and lifted her up in the air, giving her a quick twirl. Bringing her back to the ground, he brought her into his arms, enveloping her in a tight hug. "It worked." He repeated, burying his face in her hair. "Thank you."


	160. Chapter 160

**Fred**

Fred couldn't help but beam at the duo as they celebrated the mini victory of getting George's ear back. They were twins agains! Now no one would be able to tell them apart! It'd be just like the good old days, running the shop together and messing with mum. Well… if he wasn't currently dead, that is. But maybe with a little help from Kagome that could change in the future!

He would just have to continue to be patient. After all, no one could even see or talk to him for six months… so what was a little longer?

"What are you going to tell your mom?" Kagome suddenly asked, pulling away from George. "Aren't you still trying to keep me out of any sort of public eye to make sure people don't know I'm a muggle or whatever?"

"Hm…" George walked over to the couch and plopped down, patting the cushion to his left beckoning for Kagome to join him. "We still have time to come up with something. There are still a few days left until Sunday."

She frowned, uneasy at his answer. "Did you forget that we still have work to do? Your brother does happen to work with us."

Fred snorted. "You honestly think Ronniekins will notice? He's got the observational skills of a blind person." Took the twit years to realize Hermione had feelings for him.

George seemed to be thinking along the same lines as him based on the unconcerned countenance he wore. "I don't think Ron will be that much of a problem. Now, how about I make us some more popcorn and we continue our story?"

"Okay!" Kagome responded excitedly, prompting George to head to the kitchen to microwave some more of the salty snack.

Meanwhile Fred made himself comfortable in the air again, sprawling out comfortable with his hands behind his head. "Now, where were we?"

"Voldemort spent all his time trying to hunt down a teenage boy!"

Fred rolled his eyes and he wouldn't be surprised if his twin was doing the same thing in the kitchen. "How about I tell you about the Order of the Phoenix?"


	161. Chapter 161

**George**

So far this week had been terrific.

Sales were through the roof and projections were making the next week look even more promising now that they were just couple of weeks away from Christmas. Now that there weren't Death Eaters roaming around acting like they ruled Diagon Alley like last year, shoppers didn't feel forced to stay in doors in fear of the rising Dark Lord. Perhaps if this kept up, Fred and him would be able to open a Hogsmeade location as they originally had planned before The Second Wizarding War.

Tomorrow was another one of mum's Sunday meals, and for once he was looking forward to it. Kagome and his family got along without a hitch, which he was very happy about. She was even willing to go to as many family meals and gathering as he wanted her to. Having her there was definitely more bearable than not having her there, despite the increased risk of her secret coming out.

Then, there was the fact that he got his ear back! His favorite little top secret roommate had managed to use her amazing priestess powers to get rid of the dark magic that had prevented any healing magic to work. Although he still hadn't figured out a way to tell his family just how he got his ear back, all that mattered was that Kagome had been successful.

Finally, there was the best part: he got to see Fred! …. Kind of!

George glanced up to the kitchen where said roommate was busy preparing some sort of Asian dish she insisted on him trying, while she chatted outloud to Fred amiably. He still couldn't get over the fact that this non-witch was able to produce such amazing magic on her own and without any schooling. If she had been able to purify the dark magic and create shields against spells, he couldn't help but wonder what else she was capable of.

If she was able to produce such strong magic without a wand… what would happen if she had the opportunity to use one?


	162. Chapter 162

**Fred**

"So…" Kagome put down her now empty bowl on the table and leaned back against the couch comfortably. She had made what she referred to as her favorite winter dish from back home called oden. It had a bunch of weird ingredients in it that he would have never dreamed of putting together such as boiled eggs, fish, daikon, carrots and other things used to make this interesting soup. George seemed to like it well enough, so that meant that he probably would as well. Their tastes rarely differed after all. "I have a weird question in regards to that Mariner's Map you told me about…"

"Marauder's Map." Fred corrected as George was preoccupied with stuffing his face. They had managed to catch her up to through their sixth year at Hogwarts, including the Tri Wizard Tournament.

"Sorry… Marauder's…" she echoed. "So this map that you eventually gave to Harry could display everyone in the school? I'm assuming that it somehow reads the souls or auras of everyone in the vicinity in order to show everyone's name."

Both Fred and his brother paused, lost in thought. Honestly, neither one of them had really thought about how it was made or how it worked. They just enjoyed the fact that it did work, indulging in the secret tunnels of Hogwarts castle that it shared with the devious duo. Of course, it also helped that it kept them out of trouble in most cases as well.

"Well," Kagome continued. "If that is how it worked. Don't you think simply looking at the map would have prevented some of the situations that Harry ended up in?"

"What do you mean?" Fred asked while George frowned.

"How did you guys not notice that there was a Peter Pettigrew with Ron in his early years instead of his pet Scabbers? Or that there should have been a Tom Riddle on the head of that professor that he inhabited? Or what about the fact that that Mad-Eye Moody gentleman wasn't actually Mad-Eye Moody at all, but that Crouch Jr character?"

The twins remained silent. Not really able to provide a good answer for her. Besides, back then it's not like they thought anyone was impersonating their professors and pets in the school. Hogwarts was supposed to be one of the safest places for a witch or wizard to go. Little did they know there were dangers throughout the entire building that could have harmed the students at anytime.

George chose the best way to handle her questions by... ignoring them all together. "Do you think Harry and Ron keep an eye on their girlfriends with the map?"


	163. Chapter 163

**George**

Kagome let out a tired yawn as she made herself comfortable on the enlarged bed that occupied his room. She was dressed down in a pair of long, black cotton pants and a long sleeved purple shirt, sprawled out as wide as she could be in the center of the mattress. Her eyes struggled to stay open as her breathing started to even out in a relaxed state.

George watched her from the doorway. It had been exhausting week for her, physically at work and mentally with absorbing all the information from the past two decades of events that occurred in the Wizarding World. Her head was probably swimming with details and facts that she was desperately trying to make sure she retained in case she needed it for an upcoming conversation.

"I take it I'll be sleeping on the couch tonight then?" He joked, leaning against the doorframe.

She let out an exasperated groan before completely rolling over so that she was now resting on her stomach but now closer to the wall. "Don't make me move again…" she muttered wearily. "I don't think I could even if I tried."

"Not even to get under the covers?"

Kagome let out another groan, except this time it came out more like a whine. Quickly, and quite childishly, she clawed at the comforter maneuvering it from underneath her body, to overtop of it in mere seconds. George didn't know how to respond, so he simply took his place next to her in the oversized bed. Ever since she moved from sleeping on the floor to sleeping in the same bed with him, George made sure to wear more than just his boxers come bedtime.

Timidly, she poked her head out from the covers and looked up at him with pleading blue eyes. "What?" He asked curiously, unsure of what she wanted of him.

"Tell me a story. A bedtime story like what little wizards and witches might be told while being tucked in."

He let out a half chuckle. Surely she was tired of listening to him and Fred talk all evening everyday after work? "Well…" He finally started. "Have you ever heard _The Tale of the Three Brothers_?"


	164. Chapter 164

**George**

They both slept in pretty late that morning. It was odd, especially for her since he noticed that she liked to live each day by the sun. She rose as it did and often times started to get really sleepy once it started going down. So these late nights at the shop were no doubt taking a toll on her and it appeared that her body might finally be adjusting to the change.

It was weird retelling _The Tale of the Three Brothers_. Typically his mum was the one telling them the childhood fairytale, so of course he knew it by heart. Most wizarding children heard it as they grew up. Perhaps this was one of those weird ways you know you're an adult, when you have to start telling childhood tales to others instead of merely listening to them. And boy did she listen to him. Normally she asks questions and interrupts when she doesn't understand anything. But she remained silent the entire time, listening to the childhood classic. He only wished he had a copy of the book to offer pictures along with the story.

Carefully and trying to be as quiet as possible in an attempt not to disturb the slumbering priestess, George slid out of the bed. He had a few things that he wanted to get done before the mandatory Sunday supper with the rest of the Weasley clan. He wasn't sure if Kagome was planning on joining them today or not, but either way he was really looking forward to it for once.

Glancing at a small digital clock on his nightstand, he let out a soft curse as he realized he was running behind. Much to his mother's disappointment, he'd need to skip taking a shower this morning.

Afterall, he had an appointment to get to.


	165. Chapter 165

**Fred**

This morning was backwards. Completely backwards. Kagome was still in bed snoozing the day away and George quietly snuck out without a word to either of them. What a strange day this was starting out as. Fred floated lazily through the air, trying to figure out what else would be weird today.

Well. Weirder than a muggle priestess that is able to see ghosts living and working for a wizard that just happens to be the brother of said ghost.

Fred shrugged, not bothering to question his own perception of normal. After all, what was normal for a witch or wizard was certainly not normal for any muggles. "Most muggles anyway," Fred mused aloud to himself while glancing at the resting exception below him.

Kagome's eyes fluttered open, instantly zeroing in on the spirit above her. "Are you talking about me?" She questioned with a yawn. Arching her back, she raised her hands over her head attempting to stretch her body out. However, the more she stretched out, the higher up her long sleeved night shirt hiked up to reveal her midriff.

"No, of course not." He quickly averted his eyes, seeing as it would be quite ungentlemanly of him to ogle her as she went about her normal morning routine. Not that he really saw it all that often, since this was the first time she had slept in so much since her arrival to their little flat they called a home. Typically she was up long before him and his brother.

"Are you sure? I thought I heard you say muggle…." She stated, her voice drifting toward the entrance to the room as he realized she was moving. A bundle of clothes rested neatly under her left arm and a hairbrush in her right hand as she readied herself to take a shower.

"Clearly, you were dreaming."

Fred didn't even flinch as the hairbrush went soaring through his head.


	166. Chapter 166

**Fred**

Another hour had come and gone, yet George still hadn't arrived back at the flat from his mystery appointment. What could possibly have been so important for the man to get to that he had to rush off early on a Sunday morning? Most independent shop owners had the option of closing in Diagon Alley on Sundays to allow them at least one day off in the week to be with family. It represented a day of rest, and mum took advantage of it by hosting her mandatory dinners on that day to ensure both George and Ron could attend.

Even when the prat didn't want to attend.

"Stupid living taking advantage of food…." Fred mumbled watching the front door from the top of the stairs. Food was definitely the biggest thing he missed. And every time Sunday rolled around, it would pain him to watch everyone eat so blissfully.

An amused hum came from Kagome in the kitchen. "What are you griping about over there now?" She stepped into the living room with a plate of toast in one hand and a steaming cup of tea in the other.

"Oh nothing," he responded sweetly, not even bothering to turn and face her. "I'm just wondering where our dearest Georgie ventured off to this morning."

"You're like a puppy," she mused behind him. "Waiting for his master to come home."

"I guess that's a good thing then," he said finally making his way over to her. He sat hovering over the floor and looked up at her with big eyes. "I heard you really like puppies."

She rolled her eyes as she took a bite of her toast and then pushed him playfully causing him to tumble into the floorboards. "Trust me, the dogs I knew were _not_ puppies… But…" she paused as she chewed, a blush creeping up her face. "I really did like one of them... a lot…"


	167. Chapter 167

**George**

Growing up George never thought he would be so self-conscious about his appearance. Hell, Bill had a giant scar across his face including multiple other marks from his run in with Fenrir and the bloke didn't let it bother him one bit. Even Fleur loved him all the more for his bravery. So many witches and wizards like Fred lost their lives in the Second Wizarding War and he was embarrassed over losing an ear?

Looking back on everything George wished he could use a time turner to go back and knock some sense into himself.

"Oh well… No sense dwelling on it now…" he muttered to himself as he opened his eyes.

George grinned at his own reflection as he ran his hands through his hair. His fiery red locks that once rested right above his shoulders in length, was now cut short to display the two ears he now sported. Obviously he kept it longer before to hide the fact that he was in fact missing a part of his body (despite it simply being an ear). But Kagome miraculously made it possible for him to physically be whole again. So could anyone really blame him for wanting to show off a little bit?

Slipping a twenty pound note into the hand of the elderly muggle barber that just cut his hair, he instantly hopped out of the chair and rushed out the door back toward his flat with a brisk walk. His feet couldn't carry him fast enough back to his home, but he didn't feel comfortable enough to apparate there in fear of startling any muggles that might happen to be wandering by. The walk quickly turned into a full on sprint as his excitement took over in anticipation of seeing Kagome's reaction to the new hair style.

Better yet, to the new George.


	168. Chapter 168

**George**

He opened the door and slipped in as quietly as possible. George assumed that Fred and Kagome were awake by now, but he didn't want to disrupt the two of them in case they were in the middle of anything. By the sound of things, they were in the midst of a serious conversation.

"... he was brash, vulgar, and the most hard headed person I had ever met in my life. But he was also kind, protective and extremely loyal." Kagome's voice was soft and affectionate as she spoke about whoever it was she was talking about. Her sigh was reminiscent of a love sick school girl, and George felt a pang of jealousy grip his chest.

To make matters worse he felt guilty listening in private like this. Like he was eavesdropping on a conversation not meant for his ear… ears. Not that he thought that he was never meant to hear it from her at all… but not like this. Despite wanting to hear more about this mystery man that could invoke such a caring voice from Kagome, he decided to walk up the stairs and announce his presence.

"Hey guys!" He called as he reached the top of the steps. "I'm home!"

"Welcome back!" Kagome's face was red as she stood to greet him… which he assumed stemmed from the conversation he interrupted. He watched as she took in his new appearance and she let out a soft gasp. "You cut your hair!" Rushing forward she ran her delicate fingers through the ends of his hair. "It's so short…" she mumbled, a little disappointed.

George blinked in surprise. Had she actually _liked_ his longer hair? Not that it was _that_ long, but it was definitely not the length he typically held it at growing up. "It'll grow back," he supplied, taking her hand in his own. "Much like the gift you gave me last night. I'm just a bit eager to show it off."

There was a pause of silence as Fred must have said something out loud. Kagome was quick to translate, asking, "What are you going to tell your family when they ask how you got your ear back after it was removed by dark magic?"


	169. Chapter 169

**Fred**

"I'll burn that bridge when I get to it," George mused out loud, looking a bit embarrassed, but causing Kagome to laugh at the malaphor. Bloke probably hadn't thought that one through very well, but at least he was honest in how it would all play out.

"Well, you don't have to burn it alone if you don't want to…" Kagome shyly commented while squeezing the living twin's hand in support.

Oh how Fred wished that the rest of the Weasley family could see George beam at their little household muggle. Especially mum. She'd probably be absolutely delighted and try to interfere in any way possible to make sure her little Georgie was happy. Truthfully, Fred wondered if his brother even realized just how much it was obvious that his feelings were on display for the little priestess. Hell, he wondered if Kagome had picked up on any of the unknown hints George was dropping.

"Getting bold, aren't you love?" Fred commented. "The more you're around the family the more likely you are to be exposed, don't you think?" Not that they didn't want her around, but they didn't have a game plan in case Kagome's true background was revealed. She was so far invested into their lives at this point, that he wasn't really sure what actually would happen. To be honest, there were quite a few nights where Fred played scenarios in his head… and he was pretty sure based on what he'd seen, George had played through some pretty similar scenarios.

"What's life without taking a few risks?" Kagome defended proudly. "I thought you lions liked bold?"

Both boys smirked. "That we do."

"Well then!" She chirped excitedly. "Now that my attendance is settled, what time do we leave?"


	170. Chapter 170

**Fred**

Kagome practically scrambled out of the room when she found out they were going to be leaving within the hour. Apparently she felt her attire wasn't satisfactory enough for dinner this evening. Determined to continuously impress the ever growing Weasley family, she wanted to make sure she looked good but didn't want to go over the top fancy. This time she opted for some very form fitting black pants and a garnet sweater.

"Do you think I look alright?" Kagome questioned looking at Fred in the mirror while combing her hair out.

"Like someone trying to impress a gaggle of Gryffindors," he joked, causing her to roll her eyes. "Don't worry so much. You've already been there once, what else could possibly go wrong?"

"I'm not sure," she answered truthfully putting her hair into a low hanging half ponytail, meticulously taking in every detail of her appearance. "I mean, I'm not a witch, so one wrong question could oust me at any time."

Fred let out a short snort before coming over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "That's what I'm here for. While I'm not thrilled about not being able to be seen by anyone in my family, I'm more than happy to be your support system anytime we are at The Burrow."

She placed her hand on top of his and gave it an appreciative squeeze. "I know you won't let me fail. You already saved my life once. It's good to know that I can count on you and your brother."

Fred grinned. Truthfully in his opinion it was good to know that there was still someone out there relying on the Weasley twins for something. "I'm glad you think so… because I wanted to run an idea by you…"


	171. Chapter 171

**George**

"No. No. Absolutely not."

Typically George and his brother were on the same page on most things. Hell, it's why they were such good business partners. They meshed so well together they were able succeed at anything they pulled off. The one time they were apart, Fred got killed. He trusted his brother wholeheartedly, but he didn't wish to take the risk.

Kagome pursed her lips in discontent at him, agitation growing evident on her face. While he wasn't fan of being on the receiving end of any negative emotions from his roommate, he was adamant about denying her and his brother's ridiculous request.

"I think Fred's idea makes sense. You don't want your family thinking we are living together, so why not arrive separately this time? It's not like I'll be alone. Fred will be with me. You're being completely unreasonable." She defended adding a theatrical stomp of the foot for dramatic effect. "Do you not trust us?"

George was silently offended by the question. After everything the three of them had been through, how could she even ask that? Running a frustrated hand through his shortened hair, he let out a sigh. "You know I trust you both. But who knows what curve balls could be thrown at you? And I won't be there to steer you away from them."

"But Fred will be there to tackle them with me. Besides, there are very few curve balls that I don't think I could handle," she stated confidently, straightening herself up and walking towards the lit fireplace. "You need to have more faith in your brother and me." She grabbed a handful of floo powder and tossed it into the flames turning them emerald instantly before he could even protest. "And unfortunately for you, it's two against one. Wait twenty minutes, then meet us there!"

Sticking her tongue out, she grasped Fred's hand in her own and called out clearly, "The Burrow!"


	172. Chapter 172

**Fred**

Fred gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they landed gracefully in the sitting room of the The Burrow. Once again, Arthur Weasley sat in his usual chair indulging in the news offered by _The Daily Prophet_ , but peeked over the edge of the paper to see who had arrived. Dad's eyes twinkled with delight when he saw that Kagome had decided to join them once again and he instantly stood to greet her.

"Miss Higurashi! We're so happy you could join us this weekend for dinner!"

"Please, Mr. Weasley, I insist you just call me Kagome," she said with a bright smile, offering the family patriarch a hug rather than a handshake.

Arthur was slightly surprised by the familiar contact, but was by no means upset by it. "Then I insist you call me Arthur," he responded cheerfully as they pulled apart.

As if on cue, Molly Weasley walked from the kitchen to check on her husband and who he might be talking to. Much like his father's reaction, mum excitedly hurried over to greet her. "Kagome, dearie! So good to see you again! How's your bruise doing?"

Kagome grinned before modestly lifting her shirt, only revealing her midriff and not the side containing her star burst scar from the centipede lady. "I'm really good at healing."

"I can see that," Molly said impressed as Kagome lowered her shirt. "I'm glad to hear it too. But even more glad that you could join us for supper." Turning her head back toward the kitchen she called out, "Good news! Kagome's here!"

Kagome blushed at the announcement, but smiled anxiously toward the door frame. Fred wasn't surprised in the slightest when Fleur appeared first, eager to see the young woman that had protected her from the bludger only a week ago. The pregnant veela wobbled over and enveloped the smaller Asian girl into a hug. "Eet iz so good to see you!"

"It's great to see you too, Fleur! How is Victoire this week?"

Fred rolled his eyes as the girls started to babble on about the baby. He'd heard enough about the baby in all the previous weeks he joined George at the traditional Sunday night dinners. Instead he opted to make his way toward the kitchen to see who else had made it in and to see what he was missing out on for supper this week.

However, he stopped midair as two unexpected individuals stepped into the sitting room. Two 'curveballs' to be exact.

Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger stood at the entryway, watching everyone interact with Kagome, with a little too much intrigue.


	173. Chapter 173

**George**

_Wait twenty minutes…_

George tapped his foot anxiously against the hardwood floor as he sat on the edge of the couch. He was not angry by any means at Kagome or his brother, but he certainly was not happy right now. If anything, he was nervous as hell at the situation.

_Twenty minutes…_

The second hand ticked louder and louder in his mind as it made its way around the face of the clock that hung in his living room. The sound was so maddening that he had to force himself to look away from the damned thing and keep his mind preoccupied elsewhere. He wasn't even sure how long it had actually even been since Kagome's departure.

He couldn't help but snort at the situation. He couldn't think of a time that he wished he was back at The Burrow as much as he wished he was right at this very moment.

Perhaps he was being a little ridiculous. A little too overprotective of the little priestess he had taken under his wing. After all, she had been just fine on her own traveling around the world looking for some form of supernatural to cling too. And while she hadn't been alone while she was traveling throughout Japan in the past, she had managed to survive demons and monsters George had never known before in his life. So what could a few witches and wizards do that she couldn't handle?

Although, now that he thought about it, demons also didn't have wands…

He shook his head to try and clear it. There was no time to be thinking so negatively. It was just his family. They wouldn't do anything to harm Kagome after everything that happened last week.

George let out another sigh.

 _Just twenty minutes…_ and everything would be just fine.


	174. Chapter 174

**Fred**

The two witches were standing close to one another, shoulders touching. For curiosity's sake, Fred hovered close to the pair of students as they started to whisper amongst themselves. They were so quiet that he practically had to be on top of them just to hear what they were saying. But he wasn't the least bit surprised by their exchange.

"Do you know who she is?" Ginny asked, her voice hushed but eyes remaining fixated on the new Asian guest that chatted happily with Fleur.

Hermione held her tongue for a moment before finally answering, "I'm not entirely certain. But I do recall Ron mentioning in his latest letter that George hired a girl to work at the joke shop that recently arrived from Japan not too long ago." She had probably already reached a dozen conclusions by now mentally, but hadn't picked one to voice entirely. Hermione rarely allowed herself to be wrong and this was going to be no exception.

"Seems odd," Ginny commented, sparing her future sister-in-law a quick glance. "Verity has been over for dinner before but it wasn't for quite a while after she started working at the shop."

"This is actually only her second time coming to dinner," Harry interrupted the two, wrapping an arm around his fiancée's shoulder and placing a quick peck on her cheek. "Now how about instead of speculating on the sidelines, you go over and meet her. She's actually quite a lovely person."

"Anything I should be worried about?" Ginny nudged him playfully.

Harry merely rolled his eyes at her before pushing her forward gently. "Don't be ridiculous. The only thing you might need to worry about is the googly eyes your brother makes toward her."

Ginny immediately looked at Hermione, sharing a knowing look before they both asked:

"Which one?"

* * *


	175. Chapter 175

**Fred**

"Kagome dear," Molly Weasley started, wrapping an arm around the girl and leading her toward the kitchen… and toward potential trouble. "I'd like to introduce you to my daughter Ginny and my future daughter-in-law, Hermione Granger."

"It's so good to finally meet you," Kagome said excitedly with a quick, customary bow out of respect. "I've heard so much about the both of you from the Weasley family."

"All good I certainly hope," Hermione joked. "I can't quite say we've had the same privilege..."

"That's because you've been so busy with your final year at Hogwarts." Kagome let out a sigh. "I remember my last year at Mahoutokoro…"

Fred couldn't help but be a little bit impressed at her quick thinking. They hadn't even had any more study sessions before coming here. They didn't need George to survive one of these dinners. Although, they should probably prepare for an upset twin once he arrives and sees that Ginny and Hermione are here.

Both Ginny's and Hermione's eyes lit up at the sound of Mahoutokoro. "I've never met anyone that's been to that school before," Hermione muttered to herself. "They have quite a prestigious reputation."

"I heard they have the most insane Quidditch training there," Ginny started in excitement. "Is it true players train during stormy weather over the sea while dodging bludgers?"

This question had Harry and Ron's interest piqued as well. Hell, even Fred was interested in knowing the answer to this. This fabricated 'witch' before them was playing her part beautifully.

"And airplanes. You haven't seen Quidditch practice until you watch a Mahoutokoro practice," Kagome proudly said with a grin. "Supposedly if you succeed at our rigorous training you can easily be a professional player."

"Wicked." All the Quidditch players in the room managed to muster.

Before the conversation could progress any further, the fireplace roared to life, signaling the arrival of another guest.


	176. Chapter 176

**Fred**

"Well! Look who is here again this week," Charlie Weasley stepped out of the hearth, eyes immediately fixated on Kagome across the room. He didn't hesitate in strutting his way over to her. Taking one of her hands in his own, he raised it chest high before leaning down and placing a chaste kiss upon it. "I'm delighted you were able to join us."

Kagome's cheeks tinted slightly in a blush of embarrassment. "It's good to see you too Charlie."

Fred blanched at the interaction, distracting the priestess for just a moment before turning back to the new arrival. However, this didn't stop questions from the two seventh year Hogwarts students behind him.

"Has Charlie always been so… gentlemanly?" Hermione asked with a quirked brow.

"I've only seen him show that much affection towards his dragons," Ginny joked. The fiery redhead leaned backward against Harry's chest. "So my older brother likes _her_? That's interesting."

The statement only caused the boy-who-lived to give a knowing smirk while Fred let out a groan. "Another one?" he mumbled to himself. Surely the elder Weasley was just flirting with her to rile her up a bit. Surely that was all. Besides, the last thing any of them needed was more sibling rivalry.

Speaking of which… where was George at anyway? Hadn't it been twenty minutes by now?


	177. Chapter 177

**George**

George stared at himself in the mirror and let out a sigh. What was supposed to merely be one last visit to the restroom before leaving to go see the family turned into a full on anxiety attack. He was dreadfully regretting the decision to cut his hair and show off his new ear. His family was going to ask questions. Lots of questions. That was for sure. And as he had mentioned before, he was likely to mess up the explanation part of it. He couldn't pinpoint the miracle on Kagome. That would bring too much focus on the poor priestess which would counter everything he'd been trying to do up until now. He couldn't put her in the spot light like that. Not to mention it might get her taken away from him.

And he couldn't let that happen.

Making a final decision, he hurriedly went to his room and rummaged around the drawer until he found what it was he was looking for: a knit hat. This particular one was crimson with gold accents (a homage to his house colors of course) as well as a golden pom pom at the top of it. But it had flaps and tassels that could easily cover his ears so that no one could see that he was no longer missing one.

Grabbing the accessory he quickly put it on and practically ran to the fireplace. He knew the twenty minutes he was supposed to wait was up by now. Hell, it'd probably been at least half an hour by now. No matter. He'd done as Fred and Kagome had asked, ready to now arrive and make sure that everything was okay. He could already see the 'I told you so' face that Kagome would make at him when he joined them for dinner.

Those two were probably right all along and he'd been worried about nothing. Everything would be just fine.


	178. Chapter 178

**George**

Everything was not fine.

George had just stepped out of the hearth and was slightly surprised to see a good portion of the Weasley family hanging out in the sitting room as opposed to their usual point of familial contact in the kitchen that also doubled as a dining room. The surprise was overshadowed quickly by annoyance when he noticed Charlie holding the hands of Kagome in a friendly fashion. Perhaps a little too friendly.

No one seemed to pay much attention to his arrival, so he used the opportunity to walk up behind his elder brother. "Didn't I tell you to stop harassing my employee?"

Charlie stiffened at the sound of his voice, and he heard the man click his tongue in annoyance before turning to face him. "So good to see you again little brother. I was just welcoming dear Kagome here back to the Burrow."

Kagome's petite form appeared from behind the dragon tamer's form. "Hey George. I was wondering where you were…" She trailed as her eyes trailed up to the accessory he adorned. Quickly, she pieced together what probably transpired back at home, eyes twinkling with amusement as a smirk appeared on her face. "I like your hat."

"Shuddup," he muttered while pulling the tassels down lower to make sure his cap was on securely. He was certain his brother was probably floating around here laughing at him. "I'm glad you decided to come for dinner again."

"We all are," Mum interjected before turning to greet him with a maternal hug. "Now then, supper is just about ready, so I think it's time to get into the dining room. We're having pasta this evening."

"Sounds delicious mum," George said with a smile. Turning toward his roommate he offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

"We shall," Kagome chirped, looping her arm with his own. George couldn't help but toss his own smirk at Charlie before turning to head to the table.

However, he nearly froze when he saw his sister and future sister-in-law, watching him a little too intently from the entryway.

Everything was definitely not fine.


	179. Chapter 179

**Fred**

"Actually," Kagome started, pulling away from George. "I think I'm going to use the restroom before dinner starts. Do you mind pointing me in the right direction?"

"Er, sure. Just up the steps on the third floor," George hesitated before continuing. "You want me to take you?"

"I'm sure I won't get lost," she added with a wink before turning her blue eyes to Fred and gently motioning for the spirit to follow her. He obliged, interested in what the little priestess wanted. Quickly, she made her way up the two flights of stairs to the third floor where all the bathrooms, showers and tubs of the house were situated. Picking a door, she hurriedly went inside, unnecessarily waiting considerately for him to enter before shutting the door.

"I'm assuming you didn't summon me up here to watch you pee?" Fred asked jokingly.

"What? No!" Kagome face flushed in embarrassment. "Consider this the only time I will have you in the bathroom with me."

"Duly noted," he replied, deciding to sit cross-legged in the air. "So what's on your mind, love?" Based on the way her countenance shifted, he could tell something was bothering her. Her typically strong and confident personality was suddenly overshadowed by the meek and troubled one before him.

"I know you guys helped prepare me for this moment… but I'm nervous. How worried should I actually be about your sister and sister-in-law being here tonight? I can tell by yours and George's reactions that you were surprised to see them here." She looked down as she spoke, finding her shuffling feet awfully interesting all of a sudden.

"I will say we were a bit surprised to see them here," Fred admitted. The twins both thought that they had at least one more week before the Hogwarts students arrived. Honestly, he was looking forward to hearing how they managed to get to their holiday break so early, especially since Fred and his brother had never been successful at leaving school early. But something else had him a little more curious. "What are you so nervous about? Your secret of not being a witch being exposed?" She shook her head in response. "Then what has you so scared?"

Her eyes continued to remain fixated on the floor. Releasing a soft sigh she meekly answered, "Letting George down."


	180. Chapter 180

**George**

George frowned as he stared up the stairs a little longer than he should have. He realized his mistake when he turned to join the rest of the family that had already settled into the kitchen, and found himself face to face with his delightful little sister. She wore quite a wide close mouthed grin, all while her eyes stared at him with amusement. Unconsciously, he took a step back.

"Yes, Ginny? Can I help you?" He asked nervously, not quite certain what her facial expression was all about.

Her grin only widened as she started to circle him with her hands behind her back. "Long time no see, big brother. We have so much to catch up on."

He turned to look at her over his shoulder, pulling on the tassels of his knit cap in the process. "I figured we would do that at the dinner table. With the whole family."

"And with Kagome?" She innocently asked as she made her way back to his front side.

He frowned not liking where this conversation was going… or what she was insinuating. "Yes, I invited my co-worker to dinner. She is new to Britain and doesn't know anyone."

"Your co-worker." She repeated before pausing thoughtfully. "Well then, I think I speak for all of us when I say we are looking forward to learning more about your _co-worker_."

Now he really didn't like what she was suggesting. "Unfortunately, you'll have some catching up to do. Most of our family already met her and find her to be quite delightful."

"Is she your girlfriend?" Ginny asked bluntly. "Not even Verity has come to back to back dinners with us."

"Of course not!" George sputtered awkwardly, his face no doubtedly turning red in the process. "She is my associate! Nothing more."


	181. Chapter 181

**Fred**

"You're not going to let him down, love," Fred smiled, while lifting her chin upward to look at him. She looked on the brink of tears but determined not to cry. Her resolve was faltering, and with the current situation they were in with Ginny and Hermione being there, he couldn't let that happen. Kagome's fortitude and confidence was necessary for this whole charade to continue. "You're not going to let anyone down."

It was evident that she was uncertain, especially as she remained silent before him, eyes drifting back to the floor. He certainly was glad that George wasn't seeing her like this, or he would definitely drag them back to the apartment and abandon dinner all together. Unbeknownst to her, it was her strength that kept the both of them from being lost in life. If she hadn't come along, who knows what state of mind the twins would be suffering in.

"Listen," Fred started again, earning her attention once more. "No matter if the truth is ever discovered or not, we aren't going to let anything happen to you. That's a promise."

"Thanks Fred," she softly responded. "I needed to hear that. I really appreciate all that you and George have done for me as well as introducing me to your world. I don't want to ruin anything for you."

"Trust me, we're glad you're a part of our world too. Besides, even if George couldn't help you. They'll never see _me_ coming." He grinned, finally earning a smile from her.

"Can't argue with that logic!" Kagome chirped. Turning to face the mirror, she glanced once more at her appearance to make sure she looked presentable. "Well! Let's go down then, shall we?"

The two departed quickly from the bathroom and descended the stairs back to the first floor. As they reached the ground, George's nervous voice reached both of their ears stating, "She is my associate! Nothing more."

Fred's eyes darted to the presumed girl he was talking about, where she had paused in her stride mid step. All Fred could hope was that George wasn't the one that ended up letting Kagome down.


	182. Chapter 182

**George**

Soft footsteps fell behind him, causing George to instantly turn around. Kagome had descended the stairway, a sad smile on her face. His heart fell into his stomach. She had heard him. The worst part was she didn't look mad or upset. She looked… disappointed.

Her demeanor quickly shifted back to a carefree one as she made her way toward him and his sister. "He's right you know. We merely have a business arrangement with one another. I have absolutely no friends whatsoever in this country." Each word she spoke jabbed at him like a knife thrust deeper and deeper into him. She wouldn't even look at him, merely keeping eye contact with Ginny as she approached. "I'd love to meet other witches and wizards in the area. Maybe even get myself a date if I'm lucky."

And then the knife was twisted.

"Oh," Ginny reacted with slight surprise. "Well, I would be happy to get to know you more over winter break. I think they wrapped up this term early to finish all of the renovations over the holiday."

"Yes I heard a great deal about the Battle of Hogwarts and all the students' bravery. I'd love to get an inside perspective," she said thoughtfully.

Ginny smirked. "You'd really want to talk to Hermione then. I think she documented most of it herself. Reckons she might write it all out one day for a book or something."

"Well then I can't wait to speak with her," she responded. "Shall we finally go into the dining room?"

"Let's go!" Ginny called excitedly. "I'm really excited to have some of mum's food."

Kagome followed behind the youngest Weasley as she made her way to the dining room, not sparing George a word or a glance once.

Bloody Hell, it was going to be a long night.


	183. Chapter 183

**George**

He hadn't been on the receiving end of a woman's wrath before, and honestly he wasn't sure if that's what he should call how Kagome seemed to be acting. She definitely didn't seem pissed off, chatting so jovially with Ginny and brushing off George's comment. He thought she would have waited in the sitting room to say something about the misunderstanding she walked in on earlier. But she continued on without a second thought.

Taking his usual seat near the center of the table, he placed himself to the right of his brother Charlie, leaving a space open to George's direct left for Kagome to come join him when she was finished speaking with Ginny and Hermione on the opposite end of the table.

"Alright dearies! It's time to eat! Take a seat everyone!" Molly Weasley called out excitedly, happy that her entire family was finally gathered together.

Obediently, Kagome made her way toward where George was sitting, eyed the empty spot next to him and stopped before his older brother. "Charlie, would you care if I joined you? I'm sure George wouldn't mind scooting down a bit."

"I'd be honored if you sat next to me," Charlie responded while simply moving himself down the bench, forcefully shoving George over in the process.

The living twin glared at the back of his brother's head and Kagome took her seat. The priestess didn't even spare him an acknowledging or even apologetic look. Frustrated, he grabbed the cup of tea his mother just placed in front of him and took a sip of the warm beverage in an attempt to calm himself down.

Okay.

Maybe she was upset.


	184. Chapter 184

**Fred**

"Georgie, you're such an idiot," Fred muttered to himself. The ghost sat cross-legged and cross-armed in the air over the dining table. Hadn't his brother heard that expression about a woman scorned, or something along those lines? No matter. Either way the little priestess was surely upset over the little comment they'd overheard of George's before dinner started.

His brother was sulking a little bit more than Fred had anticipated him too. Shooting their elder brother glares out of the corner of his eyes and gripping his tea cup a little too roughly. Hermione and Ginny seemed to be the only other two individuals noticing George's small "temper tantrum" and whispered amongst themselves as their betrothed ones talked Quidditch.

Bowls of pasta suddenly started flying across the room, landing in front of each of the table's inhabitants. As usual, Kagome's face lit up at the experience.

Charlie let out a small chuckle. "All you muggle borns are the same. You're just absolutely fascinated with magic every time it's used."

"Can you blame me though?" Kagome countered, delight evident in her eyes still. "Mahoutokoro taught us to be thankful for the powers we've been blessed with. To think that I am able to be a part of such a wonderful world leaves me overjoyed. Magic is so beautiful, and every single person privileged to use it should be proud. We should not take it for granted and use it to make a positive mark on the world."

The table remained silent after hearing her declaration. Fred could guarantee that each family member was thinking back on their own magical life journey so far and quietly thanking some higher power for the life they'd been born into. Hell, even he was regretting leaving Hogwarts in his final year, not taking advantage of the entire educational curriculum that the school had to offer.

All while Kagome happily accepted her floating plate of pasta with eager hands, blissfully unaware of the impact her words had on all of them.


	185. Chapter 185

**Fred**

Dinner loosened everyone up and the table was alive with chatter. Most of the conversation was focused on Hermione and Ginny discussing their final year at Hogwarts and how excited they were to graduate along with some of the harder seventh year spells they were learning. N.E.W.T.s were rapidly approaching so the two needed to be on top of their academic game.

"What about you, Kagome?" Hermione inquired leaning on the table, pushing her now empty plate to the side. "What were your best subjects?"

Kagome childishly played with her food, twirling a bit of it up on her fork while glancing up at Fred subtly. Amused, Fred held up his hands defensively. "Don't look at me! I want to see how you handle this on your own." He could tell she wanted to stick her tongue out at him… or throw something at him… but because of the current audience, she was unable to do what she truly wanted to.

"Let's see…" She delayed, formulating the perfect response. "I don't typically perform offensive magic. I'd say I'm the best at defensive and healing magic." Kagome met the gaze of the curious brunette's. "But I hear, quite frequently from Ron here, that you excel at everything you put your mind to."

Ron and Hermione instantly looked at each other, and their faces quickly turned red from embarrassment, giving the entire dinner table a good laugh. The attention had successfully been diverted away from the priestess. The only person who had yet to lighten up was Fred's brooding twin, who quietly ate while listening in on the conversation. Perhaps his brother had realized he had opened his mouth enough today.

Smart lad. Seems Kagome was teaching him a thing or two.


	186. Chapter 186

**George**

He listened to yet another one of Kagome's flawless answers as she communicated effortlessly with other members of the family. Why had even worried about her being here alone? Clearly she was able to handle her own. And what was he doing? Ruining her evening by opening his big fat mouth.

George shuffled his half eaten food around on his plate after losing his appetite. He was ready for the night to be over already. Perhaps he should excuse himself early since it was apparent that Kagome was just fine on her own. Putting his fork down, George unconsciously tugged on the tassels of his hat, pulling it tighter over his now two ears.

"You probably shouldn't wear your hat at the table," his father stated nonchalantly. "I'm pretty sure we raised you with better manners than that."

He smirked at his father's comment. "Unfortunately for you and mum, they never seemed to stick for me or Fred."

Arthur sent his son a soft smile. "I suppose you're right. You two always did whatever you wanted no matter what anyone said."

George froze. His dad was absolutely right. They always did do whatever they wanted. Hell, Fred had somehow managed to avoid going to whatever afterlife existed. Now should be no different. He may have made a mistake earlier, but he wasn't about to let it ruin the rest of the evening. Kagome couldn't stay mad at him forever.

"You can't be serious!" Charlie's sudden exclamation tore George from his train of thought. "How have you never seen a duel before?"

Kagome shrugged and laughed off his question nervously. "You know Mahoutokoro was more focused on Quidditch than any other extra curricular activity."

"Well, we simply _must_ fix that. I'm certain that I could find a dueling partner here somewhere…" The elder Weasley trailed while sending the twin a sideways glance.


	187. Chapter 187

**Fred**

"Well this has gotten out of hand quickly," Fred muttered aloud to himself as he sat in the air cross-legged. He was only a few feet off of the ground, the top of his head parallel to Kagome's who conveniently stood next to him.

She discreetly nodded her head in agreeance as to not give anything away. They had all ventured out into the back yard and stood in a staggered line near the burrow. Charlie stood the furthest away as the center of attention, twirling his wand in his hand in excitement. He scanned the line of friends and family members, ready to call one of them out in a heartbeat to accompany him in a duel.

Fred glanced over at the priestess, wondering what was actually going on through her head. It was clear from her stories of the past that she wasn't a fan of fighting in any form. Even a practice duel for show. Her face reflected as such along with her crossed arms. "Is this really necessary?" She mumbled softly to him.

He shrugged in response. "We have to practice to keep sharp. You never know who or what the next threat to the Wizarding World will be." She seemed unimpressed by his response. "Certainly you trained with your demon friends?"

"We trained for survival, not for showing off," she seethed quietly as Charlie grinned over at her with a small wave.

Ah, so that's what she is upset about. He knew there was no way she could be against dueling after the history she shared with him and his brother. What was slightly interesting was that she wasn't interested in Charlie's showing off. Didn't girls like it when boys displayed their superiorities? Or "peacocked," so to speak? Ginny was engaged to "the Chosen One" after all. And goodness knows Ron must be doing _something_ to earn the affections of Hermione "Brightest Witch of our Time" Granger.

Fred's thoughts trailed to the loyal, vulgar puppy Kagome used to have a crush on. He couldn't help but wonder what he was like.


	188. Chapter 188

**George**

Kagome looked aggravated. And rightfully so. George had messed up earlier. She hadn't uttered a word to him since either. Not that he deserved it yet. He really needed to apologize. But at the rate his elder brother was doing everything in his power to keep Kagome's attention, the opportunity wouldn't arise until they got home later.

"What about you, Georgie?"

Charlie's voice broke him from his thoughts from the middle of the yard. For some reason, the older Weasley was really starting to piss him off.

"What about me?" The twin challenged, agitation evident in his voice.

"Shall we show your lovely _associate_ what a duel looks like? Or have you gone rusty since the war ended?" Charlie taunted.

George clicked his tongue in annoyance but walked toward his brother regardless, plucking his wand from his back pocket in the process.

"That's the spirit!" Charlie exclaimed clapping his free hand on George's back. Leaning in he added in a whisper, "Let's see if you're worthy of that Dumbledore's Army Galleon."

George's grip on his wand tightened and he quickly jerked away from Charlie's grasp. He'd show him. At least he and Fred were a part of Dumbledore's Army. Charlie merely showed up for the war at the last minute. Fred had even already passed away by the time he bothered to appear. And he dared to question _his_ worthiness? The more he thought about it, the more upset he was getting.

The two stood facing one another, a mere ten meters separating them. Charlie's smug face made him want to toss aside his wand and use his fists instead. Now that he thought about it, when was the last time he had physically fought with one of his siblings? Perhaps it was long overdue.

"We start with a bow."

The two bowed low at one another, breaking eye contact for only a brief moment. But both rose quickly, a mischievous fire in their eyes and wands raised.

" _Expelliarmus!_ "


	189. Chapter 189

**Fred**

This duel was starting look like it was going to be a draw. Spells were flying across the yard like an array of fireworks. But both parties were able to easily dodge their opponent's charms and hexes. However, it was painfully obvious that George was firing off spells with a little more passion than Charlie.

Kagome looked a bit worried beside him. Someone that didn't know her very well might mistake her expression for extreme interest in the wizarding duel she'd never witnessed before. But of course Fred knew better than to think that. "What's wrong? You know they are both just showing off."

"George is letting his emotions control his actions. There is no thought or strategy taking place, just quick spell casting." Kagome analyzed out loud, not even paying attention to the fact that Hermione had overheard her. "This is no way to duel."

"Don't bother over thinking it," Hermione commented. "It's just the Weasley Way."

"Hey!" Both Ginny and Fred called out, slightly offended.

Hermione tried to stifle a laugh and nudged Ginny in the side. "You know it's true. Remember when Bellatrix tried to kill you?"

"Mom was wicked scary," Ginny reminisced. "But that's what happens when you mess with our family. You don't threaten a Weasley and get away with it!"

While the two Hogwarts students continued to recall the awesome dueling skills of Molly Weasley, Kagome turned her attention back to the duel. Perhaps she was right. George did seem a little off. He usually remained pretty light-hearted and spirited in his duels. Or at least he was when both of them were alive.

Maybe Hermione and his sister had a point. But did George feel threatened… by Charlie?

Fred let out a snort and stretched out in the air. That was preposterous… wasn't it?


	190. Chapter 190

**George**

Saying that George was frustrated would be an understatement. Charlie was infuriating him right now with his effortless dueling. George felt exhausted from all the spell casting and his brother didn't seem the slightest bit phased. If he could just land one good hit...

" _Levicorpus!_ "

George cursed as he felt his feet pull forward and rapidly jerked him into the air against his wishes. He glared at Charlie who wore a smug grin on his face. The prat clearly viewed himself as the victor in their little duel. Folding his arms against his chest, George hung silently in the air, his hat's tassels swinging loosely below him.

Charlie kept his wand steady as he turned to face his audience. "So Kagome, what did you think of our duel?"

"I think…" she drew out as she walked toward the two brothers. "That it was definitely quite a show. I think…." She continued, leaning in closer the elder Weasley. "That men who find it necessary to constantly show-off have a bit of growing up to do."

George sniggered, earning a glare from his brother. Charlie quickly pocketed his wand, breaking the spell hold on George. Gravity quickly took effect on him, and he landed with an 'oof' on the ground. Kagome didn't even bother to spare him a glance as he lifted himself up, Her eyes remained fixated on Charlie as the wizard contemplated his next move and how to respond to her answer.

Suddenly, Charlie let out a light chuckle. "I wouldn't say either of us were showing off. However, I do enjoy your audacious banter. But I do think I've earned a prize for winning our little duel."

Kagome quirked an eyebrow at his comment. "What did you have in mind?"

George furrowed his brow. What _did_ his brother have in mind?


	191. Chapter 191

**Fred**

Fred was utterly perplexed.

Since when has their elder brother Charlie been quite so bold? Perhaps it was because they'd never seen him actively pursue or date anyone. He usually always kept to himself, merely focusing on his work. Charlie had always been the most like Percy in the respect that they are both very career oriented individuals.

Now, whether either of them plan on admitting it or not, both of his brothers Charlie and George fancy Kagome. The muggle… priestess… ghost detecting...whatever she is. Only one of the pure-blooded wizards knew she actually isn't a witch. Would that influence how Charlie would be acting right now?

"What did I have in mind?" Charlie mused out loud. "Why, simply your presence. Perhaps this holiday season?"

"Oh geez. I would have to ask my boss for the time off. Usually he prefers two weeks notice… and as you know Christmas is in less than two weeks…" Kagome feigned an apologetic look to the duel winner, causing George's face to light up in victory. "I suppose you'll need to find a different prize…"

"Nonsense," Charlie countered. "I'm sure he will let you off, because I'm inviting the entire family to Romania this holiday!" He beamed proudly to his family on the sidelines.

Elated chatter quickly erupted amongst the family at the prospect of going to Romania for the holidays. Fred couldn't remember the last time the entire Weasley clan went to visit the dragon sanctuary. Most of their winter breaks took place at The Burrow, likely because there were always multiple family members attending Hogwarts at the time and they simply wanted to be home for the holidays. As cliche as it sounds.

"I'm not part of the family," Kagome muttered. "Should you all spend time together as Weasley's? It's the first Christmas since the war."

George suddenly let out a snort and mumbled. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course you're family…"


	192. Chapter 192

**George**

Kagome snapped her head in his direction to stare at him with her radiant blue eyes. He felt his face immediately heat up and averted his eyes from her intense gaze. "Well, you know," he continued in a low mumble, "Anyone who works for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes is a part of the Weasley family."

"That's absolutely right!" Charlie exclaimed in support, clapping a hand on the twin's shoulder. "I insist you join us as a member of our extended family."

Kagome looked between the two Weasley brothers that were formerly just dueling one another, her brow now quirked in curiosity. She remained silent and George wondered if Fred was speaking to her about something. Hopefully something good.

She suddenly let out a small snort. "Does that mean Verity is invited on the trip too?"

Or something stupid.

George let out a groan and said "Of course not!" At the same time Charlie hollered, "Of course!" They quickly turned and glared at one another. An unspoken argument seemed to take place between them.

Kagome brought her hand up to her mouth and tried to suppress a laugh. "You two are ridiculous," she finally giggled out before sashaying her way back to the rest of the household. George unconsciously watched her hips swing side to side in her tight black pants. When was the last time he had been mesmerized by a woman's backside? At least since his Hogwarts days…

He was brought out of his stupor with a sharp jab to his ribs thanks to Charlie donning a disapproving look. "Stop ogling your _associate_."

George pulled on the tassels of his cap, securing it tighter on his head before following in Kagome's footsteps in joining the family. "She's not just my associate…" he muttered. "And I don't ogle…"

He'd like to think of it more as admiring.


	193. Chapter 193

**Fred**

"So do you think George will want to go to Romania?" Kagome casually asked, rubbing her hands together in an effort to keep warm, while she stared up at the stars in the sky.

To avoid suspicions Kagome had convinced George to have her leave on her own. Assuring the large Weasley family she would be fine, she used the Floo Network to go back to the shop in Diagon Alley instead of going straight to the home she shared with the twins. From there Fred and her had agreed on walking home together instead of relying on magic.

It was lightly snowing, but heavy accumulation still lined the sidewalks and door steps. The footprints Kagome left behind as she walked indicated she was the only one silly enough to be outside in this cold weather. Her warm breath collided with the cold air and trailed behind them as she trekked alongside him, while he floated lazily with his hands behind his head.

"I think you should have a coat and hat on," Fred started, noticing how red her cheeks and nose were starting to become. "You're going to catch a cold."

Kagome rolled her eyes in annoyance. "It's not that far of a walk. Besides, you didn't answer my question."

He listened to her feet crunch against the snow as he thought about his answer. "I think he's not going to want _you_ to go to Romania."

Kagome hummed in response. "I suppose I could house sit while you all are away…I do owe the both of you for everything you've done for me."

"You've helped us too. Especially me," Fred grinned. He would have been wandering aimlessly behind his depressed brother had their paths not crossed. She was a blessing to them. In fact, she'd probably never realize the impact she'd already made on their lives. "And I don't think George would want you housesitting for us anyway."

"Where would that leave me then? The shop?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Fred laughed. She looked at him quizzically as they walked up to the doorstep of their flat. "If we go to Romania, you're definitely coming with us. I think he's just worried about you being around Charlie."


	194. Chapter 194

**Fred**

"Charlie?" Kagome questioned as she placed her hand on the doorknob and paused. "Why in the world would he be worried about me being around Charlie?"

Fred snorted. "Come now love, you're not blind. You and I both saw the same dueling match he instigated."

"I'm not new to sibling rivalry," she commented dryly. "Except I typically witnessed a lot worse in terms of fighting."

Merlin, she was naive. Perhaps he would wait and see how long it would take her to figure out that the two Weasley boys were crushing on her. He sure was glad he didn't have to think or worry about minxes while in his current state. Not to mention there was only one that could actually see and interact with him right now anyway. It's hard to lay the moves on someone that has multiple boys trying to earn their attention… and being dead.

"If George goes to Romania I'm sure we will both be going with him," Fred finally answered. "I can't imagine going on holiday without you." Kagome hummed in response before turning the doorknob to their flat. Unfortunately, she found that it failed to budge. She looked up at Fred with wide eyes. "What's wrong?"

"It's locked…" she trailed. "I can't get in."

"What do you mean you can't get in?"

Kagome looked up at him like he was an idiot. "There's no cryptic message here. The door is physically locked. I have no key. Our original plan was to Floo into the flat from the shop, remember? Instead we chose to walk."

He crossed his arms and turned his nose away from her. "I thought we could spend some quality time together. Rude."

"Yes, that's all good and well, but unless George gets home soon he's going to have two ghosts to worry about," she growled out crossing her own arms trying to preserve heat.

Fred hurriedly flew into the apartment and looked around. Unluckily enough, their home was completely empty. And it's not like he could unlock the door from the inside. Poking just his head out of the door he broke the bad news to the priestess. "George isn't home yet."

"This is just great!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "You don't have a hidden key around here somewhere?"

"We're wizards. We don't need keys. We just say _Alohomora!_ And it would unlock on it's own."

"Well I'm not a witch, I can't just wave my imaginary stick and say _Alohomora!_ " Kagome mocked him while motioning to the door knob.

Suddenly, the lock clicked.


	195. Chapter 195

**Fred**

The two stared at one another in bewilderment. In fact, Fred's mouth hung open in complete shock and awe. Kagome in the meantime let out a surprised shriek as she pointed at the door knob. There was no way she had just performed a spell… was there?

Tentatively, she reached for the door knob once again but paused as her fingertips brushed the edges of the brass. "Go on then," he urged, eager to see the outcome. With a quick nod and burst of reassurance, she gripped the handle before completely twisting it and thrusting the door open.

"It opened…" she whispered breathily. Suddenly her eyes shone bright with excitement before fixating on him and shouting, "I unlocked it!"

"You unlocked it!" He echoed thrilled with the sudden development. A hundred questions flew through his head. Had she really just performed the unlocking charm? Could she perform other charms? What about jinxes? Curses? Could she wield a wand? Is she a witch? Could she fly a broom? What position would she be best at in Quidditch? What Hogwarts house would she have been sorted into? Better yet, what would George think?!

The poor spirit was starting to get a headache from thinking so hard… wait, was that even possible?

He shook his head to clear his mind and focus on the matter at hand. Fred had never thought about having her test a few incantations just to see what she could do. After all she was able to produce that barrier the first day they met. Granted, Kagome said it was because she is a priestess. But that was a form of magic!

A wide grin spread across Fred's face as he floated backward into the flat, leaving Kagome alone on the porch doing her own little victory dance. This ghost has some experiments to conduct...


	196. Chapter 196

**George**

George sipped on the hot cup of tea that his mom placed in front a couple of moments ago. Truthfully he had been planning on politely excusing himself not long after Kagome took her leave for the evening. But unfortunately he got swept back into the kitchen with the rest of the family to enjoy some dessert pastries.

Which was actually quite nice.

He reached for a small chocolate croissant and happily bit into the warm baked good. Merlin, he loved mom's sweets. How could he have missed out on all these lovely dessert nights with…

"So have you asked her out on date yet?"

The question caught him off guard and quickly found himself choking on the pastry he was just savoring a mere moment ago. "Wh-What?" George finally managed to stutter out.

He looked to his left where Ginny sat, a mischievous glint in her eye while she propped herself up on the table with her arm. "I know you only have one ear, but I'm certain you heard me."

George tugged on the tassels of his cap nervously, trying not to let his newest secret slip. "Very funny," he muttered out. "And no, I haven't asked anyone out."

Ginny smirked, and started swirling her tea with the spoon that rested in it. "I think she likes you… and I know you like her...with all your lingering stares."

He suddenly slammed his hands on the table and quickly stood up. His face was hot and flustered as he avoided eye contact with anyone else in the room. "Oh my goodness! Is it really already this late? I better get going. I have a busy week coming up with the holiday season…" George couldn't stop his rambling as he quickly excused himself from the dining room over to the sitting room. Not even bothering with the Floo Powder, he apparated out of The Burrow ignoring his family's goodbyes and his little sister's soft chuckling.


	197. Chapter 197

**George**

He apparated right out front of his apartment, not bothering to think of the possibility that muggles might be around. Honestly, with the snow coming down as hard as it is there was no way anyone in their right mind would be outside tonight. But George used the weather to his advantage in an attempt to calm down. Pressing his face against the door, he let the cool wood soothe his face.

This night was a success and a disaster all rolled up into one. He had royally screwed up in offending Kagome almost as soon as the evening started. Even though she seemed better by the end of his familial gathering, he wouldn't be able to forget the look of hurt on her face as she descended the stairs of The Burrow. However, his family did believe the bogus story that he and Fred helped construct in an attempt to keep her blended into their lives. Kagome played her role beautifully and had the whole family rallying around her.

Charlie's smug face flashed in his mind.

George scowled and unconsciously his hands curled into fists at his side. He loved his brother, but damn was the git coming on a bit strong to Kagome! Weren't his dragons the loves of his life?

 _Stop_.

George took a deep breath. He was being silly. His brother was just being… well… his brother. What mattered is that Kagome was spectacular this evening and she needed to channel that same being if they were going to make it over this Romania hurdle. That is, if she wanted to go…

Deciding that he'd been outside long enough, George turned the handle to his flat and made his way up the stairs to the sitting area. "I'm home…" he managed to get out before trailing off and taking in the sight before him.

Kagome was levitating in the middle of the room while an assortment of random items from around the house floated around her.

"What in the bloody hell is going on?"


	198. Chapter 198

**George**

This was certainly a sight George had never anticipated walking home to.

Kagome was floating above the sitting room table. Teacups, plates, books, quills, scrolls and other various items all sailed around her in a whirlwind. It was like a tornado of his own knick knacks had suddenly kicked up in the middle of the flat. He immediately thought that somehow Fred was behind all of this. Was he lifting her up and somehow manipulating the objects around the room for their entertainment? It certainly would have been an interesting way to amuse themselves while he was away from them.

"George!" Kagome turned her entire attention to him, a wide smile adorning her face. Suddenly, she wasn't hovering over the table anymore, but had launched herself away from the storm of household goods, arms outstreched and straight toward him.

Out of reflex he took her into his own arms in an effort to catch her. However the force was a little too much for him to handle as it caused them both to tumble backward into the wall. He collided with an 'oomph' but managed to cushion the little priestess against his chest.

"George!" She cried out once again, looking up at him. Her eyes were shining with excitement. Standing on her toes, her face was extremely close to his own.

He pushed his head against the wall as far as it would go. "K-Kagome?" He managed to stutter out, flustered at their abrupt closeness. The items started flying faster around the room while she tightened her grip on his coat.

"I DID MAGIC!"


	199. Chapter 199

**George**

Kagome was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet as she continued to grip his winter coat. He took a second to process what she said once… twice… three times before finally asking dumbly, "What?!"

"I. Did. MAGIC!" She exclaimed, bouncing with each word that she spoke. "Not my type of powers, but yours. Fred taught me a spell to make things float. Look, watch! _Wingardium Leviosa!_ " She turned and mimicked the required wand motion to make the charm work but simply used her finger to point at the coffee table. The table instantly started to hover with no trouble what so ever.

"Merlin…" he muttered out loud to himself. She immediately turned back to face him, her excitement only growing more. "You did magic… YOU DID MAGIC!" His whisper turned into an elated cry as he picked her up and spun her around joyfully. She threw her head back and let out a charming giggle as they celebrated.

Kagome is a witch!

This was exactly what they needed! Kagome had seemed relatively happy working alongside witches and wizards, blending into their little world at the shop. But there was no telling how long she would have been satisfied with that. She was looking for abnormal adventure after all. Now she could officially be a part of this world. Without that Hogwarts education that gave George almost seven years worth of information that he and Fred could teach her. Knowing the priestess's thirst for knowledge she would be certain to stay.

Stay in London.

Stay at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Stay in their flat.

Stay with him.

She beamed down at him as he finally started lowering her back to the ground. His heart was absolutely swelling with happiness. Emotion overtook him completely. So as he lowered her, her lowered her only closer to him and as he did, he captured her lips with his own.


	200. Chapter 200

**Kagome**

Overall, life had been pretty good to Kagome.  

 

Sure she was almost killed a dozen times… and she’d been kidnapped quite a bit… and she had part of her soul ripped away from her at the young age of fifteen… but she had been fortunate enough to experience enough adventure to last a lifetime.  

 

And to think she wasn’t even twenty years old!

 

For all the excitement that life had brought her, she also experienced heartbreak.  Not only had she seen death first hand, but she’d been ripped away from her feudal era family.  The demon slayer that was like a sister to her… the perverted monk that acted as a brother… her fox kit that she happily adopted as her own child… and her first love… 

 

Of course there were other people she missed from her time traveling days as well.  Kaede… Kouga… Jinenji...Myoga… hell even Sesshoumaru stopped trying to kill all of them toward the end of their adventure in solidarity against Naraku.  

 

People would probably think she was crazy.  Living in a world without technology and the conveniences the modern era had to offer is unheard of.  But it wasn’t about that.  Kagome grew to love the sense of adventure, danger, and everything unnatural.  And she was wrenched away from all of it with no way back.  

 

What was a trained priestess to do in the modern era?  No demons roamed freely.  There were no Shikon shards to collect.  No amazing adventures to go on.  

 

In her year back home, she managed to catch up to her peers and obtain her high school diploma.  Her “friends” were happy to see her again, but they could never understand or know the  _ real _ Kagome Higurashi.  They delightfully went along with their mundane little lives, chatting about college, boys, and the latest fashion trends.  They discussed their dreams and futures while Kagome’s was crushed and nonexistent.  

 

She didn’t know who she was anymore.  What was her purpose if it wasn’t to help others in the feudal era once Naraku was killed?  It was a strange concept, not feeling as if you belong in the time period you were born in.  But here the little priestess sat, as a regular old fish out of water having her own personal existential crisis.  

 

Her family was worried.  Her mother and grandfather fretted, whispering and wondering to each other what they could do to help her.  Even Souta tried to spend more time with her in an effort to cheer her up.  Offering her video games and sibling outings… anything to make his big sister happy.  Which she gladly appreciated.  

 

But it just wasn’t enough.

 

It was her grandfather that had the idea for her to travel.  Perhaps take some sort of spiritual journey to find herself or find some semblance of happiness.  Mama was completely against it.  She didn’t want Kagome to leave the safety of the Sunset Shrine.  Which made no sense to the young priestess, seeing as she was practically almost dying on a daily basis in the feudal era.  Mama merely shook her head, indicating that the younger Higurashi just didn’t understand.

 

In the end, Kagome was given part of her college fund.  Apparently a hefty sum was set aside for her to attend a university, but she just honestly didn’t see that happening until she successfully determined that there was no other adventure out there for her.  There was no sense in trying to talk Kagome out of this, so their only option was to support her.

 

So she packed up her trusty yellow backpack and made her way to the nearest airport out of the country.   Although she wasn’t getting much sleep, she really enjoyed the travelling.  As soon as she landed in China she made her way west.  From Mumbai to Istanbul, to Giza, Alexandria, Athens, Rome….  Every now and then she thought her senses picked up on some sort of magic, but every time she followed her instincts the source would disappear.  

 

She took a little longer than she planned in London.  Her senses just kept pulling her to Whitehall each morning, but she never managed to catch anything out of the ordinary.  But by normal business hours the trace would disappear into thin air as usual and she was back to square one.  After spending a couple of weeks in London, she had decided it was time to move on, and was prepared to leave for Norway.  The only issue was her month long lease at the dump she was currently calling home.

 

Her luck changed, much to her delight, the night she met the ghost Fred Weasley at The Leaky Cauldron.  Of course she was against having anything to do with ghosts at first, but then it lead to meeting the wizard George Weasley.  These twins gave her everything she could have asked for.  Her heart was bursting with joy from discovering magic.  After all this time, the world was filled with a hidden society of witches and wizards that the average person had no idea existed.  

 

With her foot in the door, she immersed herself in Fred and George’s culture and family.  She was nervous about pretending to be a witch in their society, but was determined to learn as much as possible.  The twins were eager to teach her everything and tell her stories of their world and often times fell seamlessly in line with one another despite one being deceased.  

 

Imagine her surprise when she managed to unlock the flat by mimicking Fred’s spell.  Then again when she was able to levitate things around their little home, including herself!  But her biggest surprise came when her roommate kissed her out of excitement.

 

Which is where she currently found herself: lip locked with her friend and boss, while his twin ghost let out a surprised screech in the background.  

 

Time froze for just a moment.  Which was saying alot since she had transcended it hundreds of times.  But as quickly as their lips met, he pulled away from her, even going as far as pushing her away at an arm’s length.  His face was fiery red, much like the hair that was hidden under that ridiculous hat he was still wearing.  

 

“Oh Bl-bloody hell,” George managed to stutter out, refusing to make eye contact with her.  “I’m so sorry-”

 

“No he’s not!” Fred chimed in behind her.

 

“- I don’t know what came over me-”

 

“Yes he does!”

 

“-I was just so excited and I-”

 

“George,” she interjected, trying to calm the boy down.

 

“-just got swept up in the moment-”

 

“George,” she attempted again.  But the boy just kept rambling on.  To be honest, at this point she just stopped listening.  After all, it was hard to pay attention to whatever George had to say while Fred commented on every other thought.  Words continued to pour out of the flustered wizard’s mouth onto deaf ears.  Finally, the priestess had enough.  

 

Gently, she placed a finger on the lips that had just kissed her own, silencing him immediately.  “George,” she repeated for the third time, and his blush intensified.  “It’s okay,” she sent him a reassuring smile.  “I know that you Europeans can be more expressive with your emotions than what I’m used to back home.”  Granted she hadn’t really witnessed it as much here in London as she did in Italy and Greece… but the rest of the Weasley family had been quite affectionate to her so of course George and Fred would be the same.   

 

“But I do like immersing myself in local culture, even if it typically catches me off guard.  As they say, ‘When in Rome do as the Roman’s do.’  So don’t think I’m upset at you or anything.”  Finally lowering her finger, she turned away from him to see Fred smirking towards the two of them.  “And you, be nice to your brother.  No teasing!”

 

“It’s not like he can even hear me…” the ghost mumbled, crossing his arms.  

 

Rolling her eyes, she waved off the specter and made her way to the bathroom.  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I see a nice hot bath in my future.”  A long soak in the tub would bring this perfectly exciting day to a close.  She had a lot to think about.

 

Mainly, how nice it was that George was finally opening up to her.  Although it was merely from being swept up in the moment… it was nice to be kissed again after so long....

 

She hadn’t had such an intimate moment since…  Oh well.  No sense dwelling on the past.  

 


	201. Chapter 201

**George**

George leaned against the wall with a sigh, and slid down it until he was resting on the floor, knees against his chest.  Once he heard the water in the bathroom start to run he let out a loud groan and buried his face into his arms.  Why had he done that?  Why had he kissed Kagome?

How utterly embarrassing.  He could already hear his twin’s teasing and roars of laughter.  Just for good measure he said, “Shut up Fred.”

To make matters worse, she thought he kissed her because of cultural displays of affection?  That’s not why he kissed her at all!  He was just so happy for her self discovery of magic.  Or at least, his kind of magic anyway and not her priestess magic.  

George wasn’t certain how long he sat on the floor against the wall.  It could have been minutes or it could have been an hour for all he knew.  But he was suddenly startled when the bathroom door slammed open causing him to fall over in alarm.  

Built up steam from the heat of the bath water poured into the sitting room.  Kagome stood in the doorway, a towel clung to her still wet body, only remaining in place thanks to her small hand gripping the ends together at her bosom.  She was dripping wet and hadn’t even bothered to dry off an inch before her sudden arrival.  But her appearance was having him turn a darker shade of red than his hair and he quickly brought his knees to his chest once again.  

A smile dazzled on her face as her eyes met with his.  “I have an idea!”


	202. Chapter 202

**George**

“An idea, eh?”  George managed to choke out.  It must be one bloody hell of an idea to need to tell him before even getting dressed… or dried off for that matter.  He wasn’t even sure if he could pay attention to whatever this brilliant proposal could be.  The dark color of the garnet towel contrasted against her ivory skin, which of course was still glistening with water as it dripped down to the floor.  

George gulped.  “Let’s hear it then.”

Kagome’s grin only widened.  “Bath bombs!  We could do a whole line of them.  Prank ones and ones for the WonderWitch line.  Think of the endless possibilities.  Bombs that cause the water to dye your skin a different color, bombs that cause the tub to overflow in a goopy mess, bombs that make the water completely disappear!”

Her words were like music to the prankster’s ears and he was certain that Fred was feeling just as excited as he is.  George picked himself up off the floor and continued where she left off.  “Bombs that solidify the water, bombs that erupt into fireworks!”

“Bombs that instantly relax you,” Kagome sighed.  “Or gives you perfect skin and hair!”

The priestess had been absolutely right.  The possibilities are completely endless with this product idea.  If they started working on it right away they could have a whole line of bath bombs ready to sell well before Valentine’s Day.  They could make a killing by adding it to the WonderWitch line.  If they pulled a couple all nighters they may be able to premiere it in a couple of days… but things have already been busy enough with Christmas around the corner…

Gallopin’ Gorgons… he hadn’t done any Christmas shopping yet…


	203. Chapter 203

**Fred**

Clearly this household had gone mental.  

Or perhaps just blind.

Because Fred knew he wasn’t the only one witnessing this conversation about bath bombs while their newest, quite attractive, roommate literally stood dripping wet and scantily clad in their living room.  Well, he supposed he technically is the only one witnessing it.  He had chosen to remain silent throughout the exchange, patiently awaiting when Kagome would realize she was not quite dressed.  

Patience was definitely a virtue that Fred had developed in his afterlife.  He and George certainly were not patient together in school, they were go-getters that typically succeeded (mostly in thanks to the Marauder’s Map).  But all those months leading up to Kagome’s arrival had been lonely.  Literally being invisible to the world had taken a toll on him.  

Thankfully that was no longer the case.  

“So what does Fred think?”  George asked eagerly.  

His brother’s question quickly snapped him back to reality.  Kagome stared at him expectantly awaiting his answer, while George remained fixated on her, impatiently waiting for her to relay the message.  He couldn’t help but smirk at the two.  He loved all the attention.

“What does Fred think?”  The spirit mused aloud as he swiftly made his way over to the scarcely dressed priestess.  He hovered extremely close to her, taking in the small droplets of water that still clung to the skin of her neck.  Leaning in he whispered, “Fred thinks he can’t concentrate until you have more than a towel on.”

Heat creeped up her neck and into her face as she sputtered out a soft “pervert” before making her way back into the bathroom and slamming the door.  Leaving a very confused wizard and an amused ghost.


	204. Chapter 204

**Fred**

“You’re a little old to be shopping for your first wand,” the elder wizard mused aloud as he started arranging boxes on the counter.  

She bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet as Garrick Ollivander carefully inspected wands before sorting them into two separate piles.  “I never said it was my first wand,” she responded.

“You didn’t need to,” he mumbled with a soft smile and a twinkle in his eye.  

But Fred shook his head knowingly.  “Don’t even bother trying to pull one over on good ole Ollivander.  He knows everything somehow.”

“Thank you for taking the time to bring me here,” Kagome said out loud to both Weasley boys.  

George stared at her with soft eyes.  All these loving and longing glances were starting to make Fred feel ill.  But in all honesty it was better than the melancholy countenance he used to wear on a daily basis.  And he no longer barricades himself up in the flat all alone. He’d just have to take the good with the bad.  

Ollivander finally opened a specific box and examined the dark wooded wand in his hand.  “Try this,” he finally instructed while handing the wand to Kagome. “Black walnut, nine inches, unicorn hair.  Give it a whirl.”

Taking a deep breath, the priestess waved the wand with a flick of her wrist.  But instead of sparks flying or even boxes being strewn across the room, the wand turned to ash in her hand.  All four of them stared at the now pile of ashes on the floor. “I’m so sorry!” Kagome instantly blurted out.  “I can pay for it! We can pay for it, right?” She finished looking over at George.

Ollivander simply waved her off with his hand and plucked another box from the pile closest to her.  “It simply means that was not the right wand for you. The wand chooses the wizard afterall. We’ll just have to keep trying my dear.”


	205. Chapter 205

**George**

They had been trying for over an hour.  Ashes of destroyed wands littered the floor in a dirty mess while the smell of burnt wood lingered in the air.  George had summoned a broom to slowly start sweeping up the mess, while Kagome struggled to hold back tears. She was heartbroken to be struggling so hard at locating a wand that was just right for her magic.  

 

Ollivander was wonderful throughout the entire process thus far.  He had yet to get discouraged and even kept reassuring Kagome that the perfect wand was out there, they just needed to find it.  The older wizard merely murmured thoughts aloud to himself as he scanned his shelves of well stocked products, contemplating which one to try next.  

 

The twin paused from his sweeping and looked up at the priestess in time for another wand to crumble in her hand.  Kagome let out a soft whine. “I’m so sorry Mr. Ollivander. I’ll find a way to pay you back for all of the beautiful wands I’ve destroyed.”

 

“Never you mind that dear,” he responded without looking away from his shelves.  “It’s interesting that each wand can not handle your magic. I’m making sure there isn’t a special combination we haven’t tried yet…”

 

Kagome looked at George helplessly, and the younger wizard couldn’t help but feel his heartbeat quicken.  She wanted a wand so bad, and he wanted to be able to get it for her. She just discovered she could do magic, and that’s on top of her unique priestess powers that no one knew about it.  With her unique powers…

 

He paused in thought.

 

She needed a unique wand.

 

“Mr. Ollivander,” George called out, earning the man’s attention.  “I think you’ll have to make Kagome her own wand. How long does it take to make one?”

 

“Not long at all.  I would just need all of the ingredients I suppose.  The right wood would be key.”

 

Kagome looked at George curiously.  “Did you have something in mind?”

 

“I believe,” George started while putting the broom down and joining his living roommate at the counter.  “You told me you had a sacred tree at your family home. Yes?”

 

The smile she sent him in return could outshine the morning sun.


End file.
